You Can't Always Get What You Want
by dave-d
Summary: Naruto is drinking, feeling sorry for himself. Can a certain girl help him find what he truly needs? [NaruHina]
1. Naruto

The smoke in the room was thick enough to carve with a kunei.

Older men, dressed in fancy robes and keeping their swords on the table, puffed away at cigars, cigarettes, and _kiseru_-style pipes. There was even a hookah and some other form of water pipe.

Naruto slammed his empty glass down, and then belched. He stared at one of the pipes, glad for the moment of distraction. The damn thing looking like a f-cking work of art. Must be carved out of Meerschaum, what some call "sea-foam stone." Imported stuff.

Expensive.

_What the hell did that matter?_

He had money. A fair amount. Whatever Jiraiya had left in his frog purse, any way.

It might be good for getting his drinks, but didn't help him get what he had _really _wanted.

"Shit."

"Oh? You didn't like that one?" The bar tender raised an eyebrow.

"Huh? Nah. Wasn't talking about the sake. It was fine. Quiet fragrance. The _kuchi-atari _exploded gently. Sweet. Low acidity. Delicate airy presence. Slightly earthy, with a nice tail. Yeh, it was fine." Naruto ran his finger around the rim of his glass, then sighed, staring at nothing in particular.

"Ah. Still don't want to talk about it?" The man took away the glass, putting a fresh one in its place. He took out a rag and wiped around the knife stuck deep into the counter top. He left the cloth sitting over a rough area of the wood.

"No." Naruto looked at the rag. It covered a name he had carved there some time after his first hour or so of drinking. He had scratched it out entirely about twenty minuets ago.

_That would add a bit to his tab._

But…… like he thought before…… money wasn't his problem.

"Something to do about the big dance tonight?" A man with a long mustache took a shot of something on ice. His face was red and his eyes nearly closed. With a wave of his cigarette holder, he pointed towards the bowls of bar food. The barkeep went to get one.

"Yeh. Enough said." Naruto nearly spat on the floor.

"No date?" A large woman with sculpted hair fanned herself. The bar in front of her was covered with origami shapes she had made between drinks. "I know what _that's_ like." She began folding a piece of gold foil.

Naruto didn't answer the woman. "Sir" The depressed young chuunin waved to the bar tender. "We've done _Jumnai-shu… _and _Honjozo-shu _types… I think it's time we moved onto something _Ginjo-shu." _He opened the frog, them tossed a couple of coins out in tip. His stool wobbled a bit when he reached too far, but he managed to glue it to the ground with chakra.

Yeh. He had a lot of _that_ too. Learned a lot of powerful shit from that old hermit.

_But, what good did it do him?_

He coughed. The freakin' smoke was getting to him. Even though he hadn't smoked anything himself. What had granny Tsunade lectured them on once?Oh yeh. Tobacco started off far over the seas.

'_The cultivation and use of tobacco were fundamental elements of the social and economic order throughout much of the pre-Columbian New World.'_

Whoopee shit.

'_In countless different Indian culture areas, tobacco played a major role in religious observances. The fragrant smoke from burning tobacco leaves served as incense in offerings to the gods. Augurs and sooth-sayers studied the motions of tobacco sparks and smoke, in hope of foretelling the future. Among numerous tribes of North America, the peace-pipe was important in ceremonies, including armistices.'_

Really? That made him feel so much f-cking better.

'_The remarkable stimulant properties of tobacco were utilized by early American Indians in curing wounds, swellings, coughs, tooth-ache, rheumatism, and stomach disorders. Tobacco was administered to patients in several forms, and was used in emergency treatment for snake and insect bites.'_

A lot of good any of that did. There was no mention of a cure for broken hearts. Stupid freakin' Pre-Columbian jerk wads.

"Did shomeone shay dansh? _I_ like to dansh…." A thin balding man with large misshapen ears stumbled and fell against Naruto. "Wanna dansh, girlie?"

Naruto frowned, wrinkled his nose, then pushed the drunken idiot away. It smelled like the man had made it a habit to bathe in beer and nothing else. He recalled the Hokage's lecture on soap, but quickly forced those thoughts away. His mind kept pulling up useless facts, trying to distract him.

_Like that would ever work!_

"Good idea, young man. But, are you sure you want to keep drinking?" The bar owner nodded to a guard, who removed the man laying on the floor. Seeing Naruto turn a thumb up, he continued. "As you probably know, Ginjo-shu is Sake above and beyond the average Sake; it is fruity, aromatic, served slightly chilled, made with special rice and methods, and certainly not what most people know as Sake."

"Yes. Ginjo is to regular Sake what single malt scotch is to the lake of regular scotch, or what 100-agave tequila is to regular tequila." A squat monk in a new clean robe pointed to the table top, smiling at the assistant bar tender. "I think I will have twelve year malt to start. Might get to the tequilla later."

_Everybody_ seemed to be a damn encyclopedia. That just made Naruto grumpier, despite the fact that he was primed and ready to spout off on any subject he knew something about. Heck, he'd take a valiant swipe and those he didn't know, too!

"Only about eight to nine percent of all Sake brewed is Ginjo-shu…which means anything with the ginjo word on the label is better than more than 90 of everything out there…." The woman passed an gold origami crane to Naruto. "I should know. Sake has been my best friend for the past five years."

Naruto looked at the folded paper shape. Gold crane. That meant: _'You have a heart of gold.'_

Yeh. Maybe he did. Whole lot of good _that_ did, too. Fat chance he was going to grow much overnight, or get boyish good looks. He could put on an arrogant air, and look down at everybody. Maybe that's what everybody liked. It was what _she _wanted.

_Even after everything that damn traitor did._

Nothing in the damn world made sense, But, why _should_ it? His life had been screwed up from shortly after he was born. Thanks a lot Yondaime! Wish I could kick you in your damn ass! Cheers to you bastard fox!

Screw it!

How he hated that demon.

F-cking fox. All the wrong people wanted it. All the people that mattered were scared of him because of it.

_It was wonderful being a freak._

"Here we go." The barkeep placed six bottles of Sake on the table. "These are the best that I have. If you make it through these, I suppose you will want to try something Daiginjo?"

Sure. I don't like to stop until I see things through to the end. It's my Ninja Way!" Naruto belched again, not bothering to excuse himself. Pointing at the brand he wanted to try first, he knocked over his snack bowl.

_His Ninja way._

What a crock of ever-lovin' shit!

A good heart. A determined mind. Fire in his belly, literally and figuratively. And a bit of good luck.

Crap.

The heart part he had already thought about. He had been determined, too. But that didn't mean anything to _her._ Guess loyalty and admiration didn't matter any more than fondness and a big crush… or saving her life when they were younger.

And where was his luck when he needed it? Lot of good Kakashi's advice had done.

'_Just be honest. Tell her your feelings. What more can anyone do than that, The rest is up to her.'_

Damn Copy Ninja.

So damn smart. At least _I _don't hide _my_ face.

It had been up to her. And everything fell down on him. His hopes. His dreams. His belief that he could be just like the normal guys. No, not normal. 'Relatively normal.' No shin obi had hopes for a normal life.

He had heard that a ninja's life could be very lonely. But, that wasn't true for everyone. So… why _him?_

Shikamaru had two girls to choose from. Ino was a bit of a clingy bitch, but she had a sweet body. Strange eyes, sure…but great legs. And Temari… she was one hell of a looker… a feisty chick with a model's body. Lucky shadow loving bastard! Luck was wasted on him. Two prime babes, and he acted more bothered than excited.

'Girls are troublesome,' Shika had said, sitting on the stool next to him. He had heard that Naruto was holed up in the bar. 'Two girls are twice as big a bother. And… never forget… if you chose the wrong woman, you will be sorry. Ask my father.' He had left when Naruto remained silent, unreceptive to friendship, concern, or advice.

Naruto drank the Sake down fast, not bothering to savor it. He pointed to the same bottle. _Shinkame_. This time he would do it justice.

There was a series of noises, like small objects falling from a medium height. Coins began rolling across the floor; but, the drunken soldier at the jukebox didn't seem to care. One out of ten coins he tried made its way into the slot. Punching in numbers, he accidentally knocked his enamel-blazoned helmet into a woman's lap. Its long plume left her sneezing.

It had been hard for Naruto to make out the details of his surroundings. The light was so dim, coming only from a small number of authentic wall sconces and a score of blown glass candle globes lining to well worn bar top. The old feel of the establishment fit his mood. He felt like his heart had been thrown into a dungeon, sharing some cramped space with rats and the dried husks of other hearts.

What was taking the guy with the axe and black hood so damn long? No. The executioner would pass his cell by. A clean fast death would be a kindness reserved for life's other prisoners.

_**I can't get no satisfaction,  
I can't get no girl with action.  
'cause I try and I try and I try and I try.  
I can't get no, I can't get no.**_

Oh. Great freakin' song selection. Just what we all need here. Maybe you should _wear_ the damn helmet next time you go to battle. Keep from getting clobbered with club and offensive jutsu.

Idiot!

_**When I'm ridin' round the world  
And I'm doin' this and I'm signing that  
And I'm tryin' to make some girl  
Who tells me baby better come back later next week  
'cause you see I'm on losing streak.  
I can't get no, oh no no no.  
Hey hey hey, that's what I say.**_

Trying to make some girl. Shit, he hadn't been trying to make her. He hadn't even worked up the courage to tell her exactly how he felt. He was just asking her to a dance… not to suck face… or to roll around on some mattress with him. As if he even knew what _that_ was all about.

Why did she have to react that way?

_**I can't get no, I can't get no,  
I can't get no satisfaction,  
No satisfaction, no satisfaction, no satisfaction**_

The story of my damn life. When I was old enough to talk, I wanted someone to talk to. All the parents pulled their kids away. And those looks? For a three year old kid?

Yeh.

_The milk of human kindness._

When I was older, I still couldn't get anyone to care. No matter how many stupid things I did for attention. They all laughed. But no one gave a damn about me. Until I was part of a team.

With her.

"Barkeep! Where are the good eats? This stuff isn't fit for dogs!" A tall man with more jewelry than his frumpy date pushed a chair away with his feet. "With the price you charge for this watered down booze, you should at least have good eats!"

Eats?

Dogs?

_Shit_! That flaming a-hole just had to say something that had him thinking about other friends. Perfect. As if he could possibly feel any lower. Even Choji had a date tonight. The girl must have been something special to him. She was eating from his chip bag.

If someone like that chubby weird-hair guy could find a girl friend, why couldn't _he? _Yeh, maybe he had limited his choice, but what was wrong with that?

_If you see what you want, go after it!_

Kiba certainly did. Again and again and again. Shikamaru had said that their hormonally-charged friend was like a dog in heat, even though he was a guy, not a dog. Even Akamaru didn't see that much action.

No. He should shed a tear and hang his head in sorrow. Poor Kiba. Dog-Boy had a tough life. The clown had been surrounded by girls outside the dance hall. They were all fighting over the smiling slob, trying to see who would be his partner at the shindig.

_**I see a red door and I want it painted black  
No colours anymore, I want them to turn black  
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes  
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes**_

Wow! We have a winner! Another good song choice, dickwad. But, the words were true enough. She _had_ been dressed in pretty summer clothes. But, she wanted to go to the dance alone. What would it have hurt just to go as friends?

'_That might give you false hope.'_

Well, he'd take that! False hope was better than no hope at all!  
_**  
I see a line of carts and they're all painted black  
With flowers and my love, both never to come back  
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away  
Like a newborn baby it just happens everyday**_

Sure, it was hard falling in love when you are shinobi. It's even more risky to fall in love with another ninja. Death can come at any time. But, why worry about _that? _What better reason was there to try and find happiness while he could?

'It's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.'

Yeh.

Something like that.  
_**  
I look inside myself and see my heart is black  
I see my red door and I must have it painted black  
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts  
It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black **_

Naruto stopped his hand in mid air. He had been bringing the glass to his mouth.

_Face the facts._

That's just what he was doing here tonight. Facing the damn facts. Maybe it wasn't brave or wise, but it suited his mood.

_When your whole world is black._

He clenched his teeth. Not paying attention, he relaxed his arm, pouring the Sake into his lap. His world had been black from the start. So, what color do you paint things when they're already black? Why doesn't the singer offer some insight on that?

Shit!

Naruto sang one verse over again, changing it to his liking. "I see my red chakra and I want it painted black." He was way off key. The soldier put his helmet back on and covered the ear holes. The woman accidentally tore the paper she was working with.

Hell.

Why stop there.

He should dye his hair black, too. Maybe get a pair of contacts made, with spiffy sharingan shapes painted on them. And some new clothes. Would _that_ satisfy her?

Yeh, right.

"Ninja, huh?" One old man staggered up the bar, his cane made of twisted wood. His right leg was fake. "Your voice one of your weapons?" Everybody within earshot laughed at that one. "Only person I ever heard sing worse than that was Sarutobi. And some hairy guy that hangs around with toads."

"Me big ninja. Strong. Heap big hero!" Naruto spoke sarcastically, holding up his arm and making a muscle.

"I was too," the man said. "Cost me my leg. There's gotta be something more than life than fighting and training. Here… one of these might be a good start…." The man slid a basket of fortune cookies to Naruto. "Sure as hell can't hurt!"

Gotta be something more in life?

Yup.

_That's what he had been trying for._

It was what he wanted to forget tonight, no matter how many bottles ended up on the trash heap.

He picked up a fortune cookie, turning it around in his hand. Squeeze too hard, and it would crumble. But, ultimately, that was the whole idea. Downing another drink, he tossed the cookie in the air, then watched as it hit the counter. It didn't break.

That cookie was a lot like him. Tough enough to be tossed around. But nobody really cared what was on the outside, right? Truth is, fortune cookies often taste like cardboard. It's what's on the inside that everybody wants.

"The history of fortune cookies dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries when China was occupied by the Mongols." The old man cracked open his own cookie… read the message… then nodded, a sage look on his tired face. "The traditional lotus nut paste moon cakes were used to hide secret messages regarding the date of a popular uprising against the invaders." The man raised his hand for another frothy mug of beer.

Naruto cracked open his cookie, then nibbled on a piece. Oh, glorious day! Another authority. Maybe the guy would still have his leg if he had become a librarian like he should have. The sullen boy wasn't in the mood for a history lesson, but listened just the same.

"The cakes were distributed by the patriotic revolutionary Chu Yuan Chang… disguised as a Taoist priest… safe in the knowledge that the Mongols had no taste for lotus nut paste. The uprising was successful, and so the basis of the Ming Dynasty was formed."

Naruto read his fortune:

LUCKY IN LOVE

That's really funny. Big f-cking joke, Fate. Thanks for caring, Destiny. What are you guys going to next, give me a big cut and pour lemon juice on it?

He could feel the anger burning inside of him.

_It just wasn't fair!_

"Hey… red might be your color… but that look just doesn't work." The woman looked frightened. Eyes wide and lip quivering, she slid another origami creation to Naruto.

It was a frog.

Naruto took a bowl filled with stirrers and straws off of an old battered silver platter. He looked at his reflection in the flat piece, and then sighed. His eyes were fox-like. His facial markings were accentuated. He had fangs.

Wonderful. Looking down at his hands, he saw that they were now claw-like.

_Why now?_

He must be even more upset than he thought. If that was possible.

He picked up the frog. They had learned how to make that shape as children in school. Because of the symbolism. Frogs are believed to bring about positive changes in your life, and are said to be the bearer of good fortune, promoting success, wealth and prosperity. That's why there is frequently a frog near a cash register in Chinese restaurants..

The word for 'frog' in Japanese also means 'return.' So people often carried a small frog with them, so they could return home safely.

Crap.

Positive changes. Success. Wealth and prosperity. Right! Frogs and fortune cookies. Good things must be on the horizon.

_What a crock!_

Besides, he had plenty of experience with frogs! A hell of a lot of good that did him tonight! Well. He had to be honest. There had been good things that had come as a result of his learning to summon. But, kuchiyose no jutsu wouldn't help him get a date. The kind of girl Boss Frog could set him up with would have webbed feet and a tongue longer than Orochimaru's used to be.

Hell.

He _had_ to think of the dead Sannin. That naturally had him thinking of Sasuke. That bastard. They had tried to save him on more than one occasion. He thanked them by trying to kill them. And then… when he was finally dragged back to Konoha… and his punishment was reduced because the elders wanted the Uchiha line revived… he was dumped back in Team Seven at Sai's expense.

Deep down in his heart, he was glad that Sasuke was back. But, there was no way he would admit that at the moment. Even though his gloomy and self-obsessed friend wanted nothing to do with any girl,_ she_ had started right back where she had left off… even though she had begun having feelings for the boy who had stayed behind… the ninja who had risked his life... the one who had been trying to follow through on the Promise of a Lifetime.

Anyone who thinks there is justice in the world deserved to feel as bad as he did!

_**Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste  
I've been around for a long, long year, stole many a man's soul and faith  
And I was 'round when Jesus Christ, had his moment of doubt and pain  
Made damn sure that Pilate, washed his hands and sealed his fate**_

Yeh. Great. Perfect. Another uplifting tune. Good fortune _was_ on the way! And Tsunade was as young as she looked. Sure. If you believe that, I know someone who can make some sweet swampland for you to buy._**  
**_  
**Pleased to meet you Hope you guess my name  
But what's puzzling you Is the nature of my game**

I know her damn name.

And there is no game. Not for me, any way. She wants to play with some selfish son of a bitch who ran off to that long-tongued scum bag, just so he could get revenge. It wasn't like he had been the only one to lose people he loved.

_**I watched with glee, While your kings and queens  
Fought for ten decades, For the Gods they made  
I shouted out**_

Naruto…too drunk to care…shouted out "Who killed the HOKAGES," completing the line._**  
**_

_**When after all, It was you and me  
Let me please introduce myself, I'm a**_

"F-cking girl…." Well, that wasn't part of the song. But, it worked for him.

_**of wealth and taste  
And I laid traps for troubadors, Who get killed before they reached Bombay**_

_**Pleased to meet you Hope you guess my name  
But what's puzzling you Is the nature of my game**_

Stupid bitch should puzzle _this!_

Naruto said something obscene under his breath,

_**Just as every cop is a criminal, And all the sinners Saints  
As heads is tails, Just call me**_

"S-A-K-U-R-A-!"

'_**Cause I'm in need of some restraint  
So if you meet me, Have some courtesy, Have some sympathy, and some taste  
Use all your well-learned politeness, Or I'll lay your soul to waste**_

He _had _been freakin' polite. And his soul had still been laid to waste. That is, if he even had a soul. Maybe Kyubi ate the damn thing. Or maybe the bastard fox _was_ his soul.

Now he was starting to get religious.

_What next?_

Naruto lost track of time. He talked with knowledgeable folks about Sake. He spoke about the trials and tribulations of his early life. Well, he spared a moment here and there for that kind of thing when he wasn't regaling the patronage with his gripes about a certain medical ninja in training.

The bell on the door rang. It rang repeatedly, as the person trying to get in was having trouble. A retired elder had downed one drink too many and fallen in front of the large oak door.

_Someone squeezed past just the same._

It better not be Shikamaru again. Or Lee. His bushy eyed friend had threatened to use Lotus, if that was necessary to drag Naruto away from the bottle. Naruto had swung at him when he said that he had actually managed to dance with a certain girl that night. It had been a dream of his, and it had finally come true.

_It had been Haruno Sakura, of course._

Shit.

Maybe he should forget about the freakin' sharingan contacts. Black hair is still a good idea. That, and he could kill a couple of black cats and sew them above his eyes. No, he had enough bad luck already. He could paint a pair of fox tails black. That would be bushy enough. Good symbolism, too. Right, bastard fox?

It's a good thing Kyubi couldn't answer. If he heard voices, it would be time to head home.

_He did hear a voice._

"N-… N-… Naruto-kun…."


	2. Hinata

Naruto rubbed his eyes.

He wasn't seeing things. That _was_ Hinata standing there.

It hadn't been odd to have Shikamaru and Lee venture in here looking for him. But what in Kyubi's name was _she_ doing here?

"Hinata?"

There, that was an intelligent start.

"Why?"

He was on a roll!

"Ummm… Naruto-kun…." Hinata kept sending timid glances around the room. She ducked behind the door when one man held up a large bag of coins and winked. She looked away when a middle-aged woman… in a dress that could have been painted on…blew her a kiss.

Naruto rubbed his nose. "Why are you here, Hinata?" He didn't have a lot of time to waste, trying to get a shy girl to talk. He had more sorrows to drown.

"I came… ummm… because…." She was twiddling her fingers, looking down at the floor. "I…."

"Can I get you a drink, miss?" The barkeep walked to the end of the counter, wiping a mug dry with a fresh cloth.

"Oh. If I may. Is it alright with you, sir?" Hinata brought her hand to her mouth.

"Of course it is. If you have the money to pay, you're welcome." He narrowed his eyes. "As long as you're not looking to sell drugs… start a fight… or turn tricks… you'll be like a _daughter_ to me." The bar keep cleaned off the top of the stool next to Naruto.

"T-T-Tricks, sir?" Hinata looked perplexed. She wasn't a juggler or an acrobat. As a civilian, did he think that jutsus were tricks?

"Sex for money…." Naruto answered helpfully, slamming his glass down. He swore a rather rancid oath. It had been a full glass. Sake ran across the bar top. Dripping into his lap.

"N-N-None of those, S-S-Sir." Hinata had turned beet red. She peeked out from behind one hand, certain that everyone must be staring at her.

"Glad to hear it!" The man smiled a huge smile, showing a number of well-crafted gold teeth. "So, what'll be?"

"SAKE!" Naruto shouted, leaning too far back on his stool. He fell over with a large crash. Behind him, money changed hands. The winner had correctly wagered how long it would take the boy to do just what he did.

"M-M-May I have Sparkling Peach-Flavored Water, sir?" Hinata put both hands on the bar to keep them from trembling. "If it's not too much… ummm… trouble."

"It's no trouble at all, young lady. Unfortunately, I don't carry that.

"Give her some Sake!" Naruto was chuckling, sprawl on the floor. Slowly, he pulled himself up.

"Green Tea would do fine, if you have it." Hinata looked over at Naruto. Her eyes went wide. That was nothing like the boy she once followed around in secret.

The man merely shook his head in answer to her polite request..

"D-D-Diet soda?" Hinata looked from one end of the bar to the other, taking in the huge number of bottles, kegs, pitchers, mugs, and drinking horns.

"Sorry, miss. I only carry alcoholic beverages here." The bartender walked over to the huge mirror behind him, fogged it with his breath, then wiped away a smear. "Strong coffee is the only thing we have that isn't alcohol. Too many of my customers ascribe to the Egyptian saying _'Tobacco without coffee, a sultan without furs.' _Are you sure you're in the right place? There are some nice cafes right down the street."

Hinata couldn't stand coffee.

"Y-Yes S-Sir. Inari's Pub. That's the place I wanted." Hinata looked over at Naruto.

_He looked terrible._

"OK. Let me know when you figure out what you want. There are lists on the walls, and there are a few menus floating around." The man went off to serve his steady customers.

"Naruto-kun… are you alright?" Hinata felt her throat tighten up, but it would be better if she lead the conversation at first.

"Sure!" Naruto said, shaking his head 'no.' "I _always_ come here the night of the big dance. After I get my heart cut out, thrown on the ground, and stomped on. I'm feeling _great!"_

"Hey pal, is _dat_ da gal who dun you wrong?" A large unkempt man came up and turned a gimlet eye on Hinata. "Is _dat _da one you got da crush on?" He rolled up his sleeves, showing a forest of hair and countless tattoos.

Hinata just stared.

A number of strangely garbed men stopped in their talking and gesturing, eyes following the large man. Their table was covered by ashtrays, glasses, coffee cups, and half-smoked cigars, a testament to the Spanish saying _'café, copa y puro.' _

Behind them, a portly man let the three meter suction tube from his hookah slip from between his teeth. He narrowed his eyes. Was _that_ the girl that sent the boisterous young man into their midst?

"Nah!" Naruto laughed. "Hinata? Who'd have a crush on _her? _She's too shy!"

The tipsy ninja didn't see the look on Hinata's face. Her eyes flashed with pain. She looked away, head bowed.

"OK. Dats fine, den." The man headed back to his table.

"Yeh. You probably don't even _want_ some jerk to have an eye for you, right Hinata? You're smart that way. No need getting hurt if you don't _have_ to!" Naruto worked his kunei back and forth, then pulled it out of the bar. "It's no fun. I can tell you _that."_

"I know…." Hinata's voice was barely audible over the crowd.

_She was speaking from her heart._

"Huh?" Naruto looked her straight in the eyes.

"I… ummm… I know… that _you_ could… uhhh… tell me about that…." Hinata swallowed hard.

"Uh huh. OK." He scratched under one arm. "Someone send you here to babysit me? Is _that_ why you came?" Naruto looked angry. The kunei twitched in his hand like the rattle on an agitated snake.

"N-N-No. No one told me to come, N-Naruto-kun. No one asked me to check up on you." Hinata watched as her fellow ninja downed another glass of Sake.

"Good. I'm fine. I'm so damn fine. The last thing I need is somebody to tell me what to do. You're not going to tell me everything will be alright, _are_ you?" The way he said that made it certain that that was the worse thing she could do. "Sit down! I'm getting dizzy watching you."

Hinata was perfectly stationary. It was Naruto who was swaying back and forth on his seat.

When Hinata sat back down on her seat, Naruto banged his glass hard on the polished bar top. When the assistant barkeep strolled over, he tossed his frog purse on the counter. "Sake for my friend here. Bring some brands of Daiginio-shu. Best you have. On me. Keep _both_ of our glasses full." Naruto belched, then smiled at Hinata. "You're OK, Hinata. Shikamaru and Lee came in here looking to drag my ass out. They walked around me like they were stepping on eggs or something. Not you. You're not some mother hen, right?"

An attendant was rolling a large cart out of the door. He looked at Naruto… the empty bottles in the cart… then Naruto again. He shook his head in disbelief.

_How could anybody drink that without dying, much less passing out?_

The man didn't know about Kyuubi, or the way the demon worked to heal Naruto's body. That included burning off a fair amount of the alcohol he consumed. Funny thing was, the damn demon itself got tipsy from doing so!

Naruto had traveled deep inside his mind the way he sometimes did, intent on mentally pissing into the youma's cage. He found the great monster cross-eyed and chasing its own tails.

Idiotic fox!

That was about the only thing about himself that a young and talkative blonde boy hadn't told anyone willing to listen.

_And everyone else…._

"N-N-No…." Hinata watched the man line up a number of bottles in front of her and Naruto. Those couldn't all be them, _could_ they?

"Why are you here, then? Somebody stand you up? A guy treat you wrong?" Naruto slid a glass over in front of her, sending some of the liquid sloshing over the rim.

"Ummm-mm-m….." Hinata looked at Naruto, and then blushed. "N-N-No… I didn't have a date…. no one asked me." She paused. "Well… no one asked me who _really_ meant it." She stuck one finger in her Sake, tasted it, then started coughing. "Kiba said he would take me. So did Shino. B-B-But…." Hinata took a tentative sip. The drink made her throat feel warm. She stared at the glass, somehow feeling she was doing something very wrong just holding it. "Kurenai-sensei put them up to it. Kiba has plenty of girls that he is interested in. Shino couldn't be bothered."

"Yeh. Here, let's drink to guys with dogs and bugs! Hah!" Naruto banged his glass against Hinata's. "Bottoms up!" He drank. He assumed Hinata was there because no one wanted her as a date.

Hinata cocked her head. "Bottoms?" She blushed.

_He couldn't mean her rump, could he?_

"It means drink, Hinata. So _drink _already. That's why you're here, _isn't_ it? What other reason could you have?" Naruto looked serious for a moment, a suspicious look coming to his eyes.

There was no way that Hinata could tell Naruto that she came to comfort him… in addition to the fact that she was sad and lonely.

"Y-Y-Yes, Naruto-kun…." She closed her eyes and drank the Sake.

Too quickly.

_Much too quickly. _

She sprayed a good bit of drink over the counter.

"That's good stuff, huh? You _go _girl!" Naruto smiled, no longer looking as if he suspected Hinata of being there to watch over him or talk him into leaving.

Hinata dabbed at her wet blouse with napkin the barkeep handed her.

"Sake is good for broken hearts." Naruto said, talking big like he did as a new genin. "It's working wonders for _me!" _

"Really?" Hinata had missed the sarcasm, being so used to Naruto's more upbeat moods. She stared at her newly refilled glass, grabbed it with two small hands, then upended it. That time she coughed less, and most of the clear amber liquid made it down her throat.

She was feeling braver, some how. Was it the drink?

_So what if it was! _

She wasn't sure that this was proper. No, she knew it wasn't. She just didn't care at the moment. So many things had gone wrong in her life, when all she did was try to do things right. Maybe something good would happen if she did something wrong.

Did that make sense?

Looking over at Naruto, and seeing part of a name etched into the bar top and scratched out, she sighed. Nothing really made sense, did it? "D-D-Do you drink Sake often, N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata put her hand on the bar top. She felt dizzy. Could that happen from drinking as little as she had?

"No. The stuff's not good for you!" He began laughing as he drained another glass. "Ero-sennin always offers to share… not that he would _really_ let me have any, the cheap bastard… but I have no reason to drink when I'm training." He slid the glass over next to a new bottle. "Tonight's just a special occasion."

"Ummm… I see…." Hinata picked up her glass, but hesitated to drink any more.

"Feels real nice, having the only girl you care about turn you down. Right?" Naruto clenched both fists together, then sighed and shook his head. "Life sucks… and then you go on a mission and die!"

Hinata drank her Sake quickly, then looked down in her lap. She sat that way for a minute, lost in thought. She was still sitting like that when Naruto returned from the rest room. She hadn't realized that he had left her side.

"So, do you _like_ Sake, Hinata. Your first time?" Naruto passed her another glass.

"Hmmm? Naruto-kun… yes… ummm… I _guess_ so. It's… uh…." Hinata's words were slightly slurred.

"Yeh. Then I guees you're someone I could like, Hinata." Naruto hadn't used those same words again on purpose. He hadn't meant to remind his fellow ninja of the time he had spoken them before.

"N-N-Naruto-kun…." Hinata almost fell off of her stool. "You _c-could_…."

"Right! You think little miss Sakura would be drinking this stuff? How about Ino or Ten Ten? Hell no. I doubt even Bushy Eyebrows, Shadow Boy, or Chubby would touch the stuff. You're cool. Just like one of the guys!" Naruto slapped Hinata hard on the back.

Hinata felt as if her world was spinning. She bit her lip. The glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the slate floor.

She fought back tears.

Naruto saw her sitting deathly still, eyes glued to the scattered glass fragments. "Hey, dude! Did you give my friend some of the bad stuff?" Naruto picked up the bottle, then shrugged. It was one of the best. "Hinata, what's wrong?"

Hinata wiped away a tear, then forced a smile. "I'm fine, N-N-Naruto-kun. Why don't you tell me about Sake?" She didn't like herself much at that moment. She felt like a failure again; but, this time at something that meant a great deal to her.

She had been watching Naruto for so long. Couldn't he tell how she felt? Was she so worthless, that he would never even _consider _that possibility?

Hinata didn't like the fact that she found herself wanting to drink until the pain stopped. That was not her way. Then again, it usually wasn't _his_ way either, and he was here drinking.

Should she emulate him in this, too?

"You bet! Ha! _Bet?_" Naruto's mind was easily derailed. "Don't bet around old lady Tsunade. That will get her hooked again, and tossed out on her can. I'm not ready to be Hokage _yet!" _He put his glass on his head, trying to balance it without spilling a drop.

A number of people stood up, pulled themselves slowly up, or staggered to their feet. Some began clapping their hands or stomping their feet. A couple of inebriated women in the rear corner put wine glasses on their heads. One man with a hookah reached intended to do the same with the massive instrument, but was restrained by his smoking buddies.

Depressed as she was, Hinata couldn't help but giggle, watching.

One second, Naruto was talking about the highest ninja position, and the next he had a glass on his head.

_It was things like that…._

Yes.

It was his different approach to life that caught her attention so long ago. That, and the fact that he never gave up.

She was surprised to see him acting like this, drinking away his pains. No doubt he had suffered worse things in the past. So had she.

They were both human, weren't they. In some way, realizing that Naruto had weaknesses made him seem all the more attractive to her.

_As if that mattered._

"Oh yeh… Sake! You need to keep this talk on target, Hinata! No more stuff about betting!" Naruto held a bowl of snacks over to her, sitting them in her lap when she didn't move.

"Five crucial elements are involved in brewing sake: water, rice, technical skill, yeast, and land. Weather, too. No, that's _six,_ then. No….. uhhh….. just _five_. Land and weather kind of count together. _Right?" _Naruto looked at the barkeep, who nodded.

Hinata was sipping her Sake slowly, watching Naruto's face.

"Here he goes again," a bald woman griped. She had heard enough of garrulous ninja's voice to last her a lifetime.

Naruto began acting serious now, like he was leading his squad. Hinata thought about the reports that she had heard. The young man next to her had surprised everybody with his tactical ability. He was no genius like Shikamaru, but he had better intuition and superior people skills compared to the other chuunin.

Invariably, whatever group of shinobi he was directed to command loved having him as their leader.

_Love._

That was not a word that she needed to think about at that moment.

A large woman she didn't know walked over and placed a white origami crane in front of Hinata. The woman winked, then looked over at an oblivious Naruto.

It was made of white paper.

'_Hopes for the Future, Innocence, Purity.'_

Hinata blushed. She wondered if innocence and purity were all they were cracked up to be. Maybe if she….

No!

She was Hyuuga Hinata. It was bad enough that she was in a bar, and that she found herself drinking. She would not begin compromising her principals in hope to catch someone's attention.

Hopes for the future?

_Not for her._

"Where was I?" Naruto fought back a belch. His eyes widened, as the action had him working twice as hard to keep from exploding at the other end. "More than anything else, Sake is a result of a brewing process that uses rice and lots of water. In fact, water comprises as much as 80 percent of the final product, so fine water and fine rice are a must if one hopes to brew fine sake." He didn't bother picking up his refill.

He was getting into things.

Hinata watched his face. She had watched it so often in the past, when there had still been opportunity. He was a cornerstone in her existence, and he didn't even realize it. How could he be so stupid to have missed that all along?

Why was she so pathetic that she never clued him in?

"Yeh. Are you paying attention, girl? The process is pretty cool." Naruto downed his drink, put the empty glass on one finger, and sent it spinning. He probably couldn't do that sober. "Rice is washed and steam-cooked. It's then mixed with yeast and _koji_…… rice cultivated with a special mold…..then the whole mix is allowed to ferment, with more rice, koji, and water added in three batches over four days. This fermentation, which occurs in a large tank, is called _shikomi. _The quality of the rice… the degree to which the koji mold has propagated… temperature variations… and other factors are different for each shikomi."

Naruto kept talking, but Hinata lost track of the words. She had also lost track of how much she had drunk. Not that it made any difference. She was feeling pretty good, for a girl who was feeling so very _bad._

Her face felt on fire after she burped, but no one seemed to take notice. Rubbing at her temples, she sighed. It was nice just hearing Naruto talk to her. The words didn't matter. She could pretend he was professing his undying love, just like the heroes in the stories her mother used to tell her at bed time.

Pretend.

Just like she had pretended to be enthusiastic about being the heir. While she still had been the heir.

_Another wonderful part of her life!_

Naruto rambled on about pressing, filtering, and blending. Hinata downed glass after glass as he moved on to rice milling…washing… soaking… koji making… pasteurization… and aging. Trying hard to stay on her seat, she realized just how empty her life would feel now.

Naruto seemed incapable of caring about her. At least before, she could fantasize. It had been all too easy to tell herself that it was all a matter of timing. All the two of them needed was the right opportunity.

_Sitting in the bar nursing broken hearts was obviously not the right opportunity. _

Not when he was drinking because of another girl. Not when she was only good enough to be one of the guys.

Sighing, the white-eyed kunoichi thought back to her earliest days in ninja school, and about the silly loud-mouthed boy all the adults whispered about. He didn't have nice clothes. No parents or relatives ever came to sit with him during the holiday programs. It looked like he made his own lunches… usually something with noodles.

She had watched him grow over the years. She had seen his triumphs and his defeats. She had cheered him on, long before he knew that she did so. Wait. Did he even realize that much? No. Probably not. Sighing again, she hung her head.

"Another major advance was the use of ceramic-lined or stainless steel tanks, now the standard, over cedar tanks, which were used for hundreds of years…." Continuing on like a runaway train with the broken handle stuck at 'full speed,' Naruto was unaware of his companion's obvious dejected state. "This has drastically improved the quality and purity of sake since the beginning of this century…."

Of course, when she was younger, her fascination with him had been for childish reasons.

She was quiet. He was too vocal for his own good. She was shy. He had trouble staying out of everyone else's business. She wore proper and over-protective clothing. He wore something that looked like it came out of a bargain bin, or from the pages of some comic.

_They had both been so very lonely._

"…Almost all breweries will still press some of their best sake in the old way, using a _fune_. It does indeed make subtly noticeably better sake. But the accordion-like machine…called an Assaku-ki… _not _Akatsuki…." He frowned. Those guys had been a real barrel of fun. At least he had been able to take out that Kakazu guy with Futon: Rasenshuriken. And that had just been the start! "Huh… where was I?"

Maybe it was the loneliness that helped her see just what Naruto had gone through as an aspiring shinobi. It was probably the reason she had quietly crept behind him when he went off into the forest to try tree climbing. It was likely the reason she stood behind the corned of the school, watching the boy throw kunei until he couldn't stay upright any longer.

Looking at her reflection in the bottom of her glass, Hinata thought back to the day they had all been named genin, and the team assignments were being read off.

'_Please let me be with Naruto-kun… please let me be with Naruto-kun… please let me be with Naruto-kun'_

She had whispered that like a mantra.

And then, when he was named to team seven, she had been so nervous. But, she wasn't named next. That had been Sakura.

_Sakura._

Naruto's reaction had been extremely enthusiastic when he learned that _she_ was on the team. Hinata didn't know who was more disappointed when Sasuke was named next, her or Naruto.

It had been Sakura's turn to be ecstatic. She had a rather obvious crush on Sasuke. Then again, just about every girl but Hinata once had a crush on the Uchiha boy. She had been the only one who chose Naruto.

_Why didn't that count for something?!!_

"The koji making equipment is controversial," Naruto purred, as if he was sharing the greatest secret in the world, something far more important than the jutsus contained in the forbidden scroll that had gifted him with his trademark Bunshin technique. "It is truly amazing how the slightest differences in koji can affect the flavor of the final product. Traditionally, koji is all made by hand in wood-paneled rooms that are kept warm and humid…."

"Amazing." Hinata sighed, saying that word as she stared at Naruto's face, chin resting on her hands. She really didn't mean the information was amazing. She was simply trying to be polite.

"Yes, it is! Here, don't forget to drink up. We have a few more bottles to go, girl. Ha. _Go_ girl. _You go girl!!!" _Naruto fell off of his stool again.

That had Hinata giggling so hard that she started to hiccup.

Naruto tried everything he knew to help Hinata get rid of her sudden affliction. The look on his face had been so precious when he tried to scare her. The hiccups were worth it.

After Hinata finally swore she was OK, Naruto jumped back into his talk again. He was standing on his stool now, lecturing the whole bar. More bets were made, A number of people were actually listening intently.

The topics followed in rapid succession. What is sake? Is it a beer? Is it a wine? Is it a spirit? What is the alcohol content of sake? How long does it take to brew sake? Is sake aged like wine is? Is there such a thing as "vintage" sake? How should sake be stored? Is sake better than other alcoholic beverages for your health? How many types of sake are there? How can one tell a good sake from a bad sake? What is the proper color for sake? What is the ideal temperature for serving sake? Can sake be served with food like wine is? Are different kinds of rice used to brew sake, as grapes are for wine?

"Naruto-kun. Enough is enough!" Hinata shocked herself more than she did Naruto, when she pushed over his stool, dropping him spread-eagled to the floor. He had begun listing the 1800 Sake breweries and the 10,000 makes of Sake spread amongst those establishments. He had memorized everything that he had…becoming an expert on Sake… in _one _evening! That astounded her….

And annoyed her!

_There is only so much a girl can take, even a timid girl like her._

"Looks like the boy is _falling_ for you…." The drunken man with the long mustache laughed at his own joke. "Falling for you… huh… huh…"

"I wish!" Hinata said.

"_Wh-a-a-at?" _A number of women with cocktail glasses all stepped closer to Hinata. They waved over some more women, who had grown tired of the stuff that their dates and spouses had been spouting off about. They were nearly as bad as the heartsick boy.

"I… ummm… _wish_…. I had a different kind of Sake to taste…."

The women all looked disappointed. Rather than returning to their seats, they descended upon the restrooms in a mob.

Hinata looked over at Naruto, wondering if he had caught her slip of the tongue. He hadn't.

Standing up, and brushing himself off, he shook a finger at her. "That hurt. Now you're starting to act like Sakura!"

"**BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O**"

The whole bar was in on that heart felt response. They had each lost track how many times that Naruto had said the girl's name that evening.

"_SAKURA SUCKS!!!" _A small man with large dark glasses shouted. He wasn't certain exactly who Sakura might be, but he hated everything. Everything _except_ pickled herring, well-brewed stout, and body piercing.

"I wish!" Naruto said, slamming his glass down.

Hinata fell off of her stool.

The woman with a penchant for paper folding walked over and offered Hinata a hand up.

"T-T-Thank you, Ma'am…" Hinata was convinced that it had been a mistake wanting to offer support to Naruto. He didn't want it, and was in no state to appreciate it. But, where else should she go, in her current condition?

The other girls wouldn't be back from the dance yet. They were going to meat later, and they expected Hinata to join them, even though she wouldn't have any secrets to share.

It was nice that they always tried to include her in the things she did, but she kept feeling more and more like the fifth wheel on a four-wheeled cart.

Well, she _could_ tell them about the things she had seen and heard in this bar. She doubted that Sakura would want to here about _that._

_And, it wasn't a reputation she wanted._

"May I offer you some advice?" The woman said, her hands folding and smoothing paper expertly. She looked over at Naruto, watching him stand on one table, leading an enthusiastic and off-key chorus of shouted indignities related to a certain pink-haired girl.

"Ummm…." Hinata wasn't in the mood to listen to anyone, but was too polite to turn down someone offering to help.

"Did you know that the first use of the word origami in Japan did not refer to what we now think of as paper folding, but instead was used to describe paper certificates?" The woman sneezed, took out a fancy embroidered handkerchief, and blew her nose.

"There was an ancient custom of folding certain special documents…such as diplomas for Tea Ceremony masters, or masters of swordsmanship…in such a way as to prevent unauthorized copies from being made."

"I… I see……" Hinata's head was aching. Was that the Sake… the smoke… the loud noise in the bar… or all of them together?

_She shivered a moment, realizing what her coat and clothing were going to smell like._

"Here. I'll start work again, this time with paper of the appropriate color." The woman looked over at Naruto… chuckled… and then slid two pieces of orange paper out of her stack.

Orange was for _'Enthusiasm and Energy.' _It matched Naruto's outfit, and his personality.

"Watching? Good. That must be a sign of good breeding." The woman showed Hinata the manner in which the crane was made. t was not a simple base construction, but Hinata's fingers were nimble and she had a good eye, despite all the Sake she had swallowed. "Now, when did the word 'origami' start being used for the recreational activity we're doing?" The woman was talking to herself more than Hinata.

"I… I do not know… ummm… Ma'am…."

"Near the end of the nineteenth century or the beginning of the twentieth," the woman answered her own question. "Before that, paper folding for play was known by a variety of names, including 'orikata,' 'orisue,' "orimono,' 'tatamgami,' and others. Exactly why the switch came to 'origami' is not clear; but, it has been suggested that the word was adopted in the kindergartens because the written characters were easier for young children to write."

The bartender offered Hinata more Sake. She spent a moment deliberating as the woman spoke on.

The white-eyed girl's mind wandered unintentionally. She thought about her early days in school again. Her father had told her the story of Kyubi, the great Nine-Tailed fox demon. He emphasized that great monster's terrible effect on the Hyuuga clan.

_It had been near impossible to grow up in her extended family, without hating the dread creature._

But, one day last year, she happened upon Naruto's secret, after something took place on one of his missions. The Hokage tried to hush things up, but all of the young ninjas were talking about it.

She _could_ have ended up hating Naruto then, but didn't. Instead, she was shocked by the fact that he had been forced to deal with such a terrible imposition in his life, and had managed to do it without growing bitter and evil.

Hinata, like the other shinobi, had seen what a difficult life did to Sasuke. But, Naruto had not taken his sorrow and injustice out on others. Her heart was so filled with pride for him, for that fact alone.

It was her wish to help him bear that burden. But that was a dream best left undreamt now. She shook her head, trying to listen to what the woman was saying.

"The wonder is that both the ancient Greeks and the Japanese adopted the use of folded paper … presumably vellum or parchment in the case of the Greeks…for a certificate. Were these two entirely separate developments, or was it a usage that spread from one end of Asia to the other, at a time and by some means hidden in the remote past? I _still _haven't found the answer to that one…."

"Oh. Ummm… that is very interesting… Ma'am…"

"It _is? _You need to find yourself a man! Oh…I'm _sorry_…I didn't mean…." The woman looked truly upset.

Hinata realized that the woman knew how she felt about Naruto. Had she somehow been that obvious? Had she said something she didn't remember?

"Even today, 'One Thousand Cranes' are still widely made, especially by girls." The woman spoke, a look of sympathy in her eyes. "That involves numerous folded paper cranes connected with a thread for hanging, and derives from the ancient Japanese belief that one can have one's wishes come true by folding one thousand paper cranes. Some do it for personal reasons. Others do it as a wish for peace." The woman sniffed. "I only have fifty more to go…."

Hinata felt distinctly uncomfortable. The woman was carrying a lot of pain in her heart, she was sure of it. _Could she end up like that some day. Lonely and alone?_

She raised her hand, and accepted another glass.

"What I really wanted to tell you miss….." The woman paused, to let Hinata give her name.

"H-H-Hinata….."

"What I wanted to say, Hinata, was that you should _never _give up. No matter how dark things might seem, they can always get darker. So enjoy the things you have every day. Rememeber. Things can also get better!" The woman's voice got husky, and she stopped for a moment.

Hinata twiddled her fingers.

"A young man's eyes are often drawn to the prettiest things, or the most popular things. Sometimes they get what they lust after, much to their dismay. Often enough, they realize what is truly important. For some, it takes a good deal longer than others…."

"B-B-But…." Hinata swallowed the wrong way. Her eyes bulged and she began to cough.

"For some young girls, confidence is a very big issue. They may spend too much time seeing what others girls are, and what they themselves are not. They can make themselves miserable for a long time, before they get a true glimpse of themselves in the mirror." The woman sighed, then closed her eyes. "Even those girls who aren't the prettiest can be special in ways that mean more than good looks. It's a shame that some never realize that until… until… until things are too late."

Hinata sat quietly, staring into her drink. She saw Naruto's image there. It was smiling.

She wished she could see him smile that way for real…

For her…

_Forever…._

The woman had obviously reached her limits, either of drink or unshared memories. She paid her bill, and then smiled at Hinata before heading out the door leading to the street.

The younger woman wasn't certainly what she was actually feeling at the moment. She had no idea what she _should_ be feeling.

Hope? Despair? Determination? Acceptance?

What should she do? Was it best to be realistic? Would it be better to have faith and persevere?

_Would her life pass her by if she kept waiting for something that wasn't ever going to happen?_

There was a brief tussle over at the jukebox. A soldier and a monk were arm wrestling, to see who got to select the next song. The soldier won. Coins rolled all over the floor again, but music was playing, just the same.

Naruto headed back to his seat, now that the woman had left.

_**I saw her today at the reception  
A glass of wine in her hand  
I knew she was gonna meet her connection  
At her feet was a footloose man**_

"Shit. She was there, alright!" Naruto shouted over to a number of men who whistled and started up another chorus about Sakura. "And that damn Lee was there too. He must have been f-cking footloose." He scowled. "Did you know that they danced, Hinata?"

**You can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
But if you try sometimes well you might find  
You get what you need**

Hinata didn't answer. The words were swimming in her drunken haze. What was a girl to do, when the thing she wanted most likely was the thing she needed?

No.

What was a girl to do when the boy she cared about barely knew she was alive… was less than two feet from her… and was carrying on about a girl who wouldn't know a good thing if it bit her in the… uh… nose….

_**And I went down to the demonstration  
To get my fair share of abuse---**_

"Tell me f-cking about it!" Naruto said, downing a glass and spilling half of its contents down his neck. "I am so damn _tired_ of being abused. I don't abuse _anyone_. Why do _I _get f-cking abused…."

_**Singing, we're gonna vent our frustration  
If we don't we're gonna blow the place up with jutsus**_

"Hey, you guys want to hear me sing again?" Naruto stood up and waved his arms.

"_HELL NO!!!" _

Everybody had answered at once.

"Bastards!" Naruto gave them all the finger.

**You can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
But if you try sometimes well you just might find  
You get what you need**

"So what the hell do I _really_ need, then? Anybody hear smart enough to answer me _that?" _Naruto called out his challenge.

There were any number of answers, most of them comical or anatomically impossible.

"_Me_…." Hinata said, drowned out by a shout coming from a man at the end of the bar.

She put her hand over her mouth and blushed.

_**I went down to the Konoha drugstore  
To get your prescription filled  
I was standing in line with a shinobi  
And man, did he look pretty ill**_

_**We decided that we would have a soda  
My favorite flavor, cherry red  
I sung my song to the shinobi  
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was dead**_

"Hey, that's about the only way I could be worse off. Dead! _Right, _Hinata? Sometimes I wish I could be like you. Be happy. Have a family. Know my history." Naruto spat, missing a polished copper spittoon.

Hinata shook her head, opening her mouth to speak.

She didn't know where to start.

_**You can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
But if you try sometimes you just might find  
You get what you need  
You get what you need--yeah, oh baby**_

"So, Hinata… what is it that _you_ really want?" Naruto put down his glass and stared at her face.

Hinata froze.


	3. Two, apart

The timid girl was caught entirely off guard.

"So… Hinata… what is it that _you_ really want?" Naruto put down his glass and stared at her face.

She froze.

"Ummm… I… uhhh…." The kunoichi crossed her fingers. She would say it before her fear caught up with her. "You." She did it! Unfortunately, her embarrassment and anxiety wouldn't allow her to reinforce her victory. She quickly covered her answer with more words, moments before a feeling of self-loathing filled her. "You see… I…."

Deep inside, a cowering part of her spirit wasn't ready to take that big a risk. What if she said 'you,' and Naruto frowned… laughed… or got upset? She'd shatter like a crystal chandelier hitting a parquet surface, after breaking free from its perch high above a dance floor.

"Drunk, huh?" Naruto laughed. "You need to learn to handle you liquor better." He saw two glasses where there should be only one. He reached for the wrong one, then kept reaching and reaching until he slid off his stool.

Hinata put her hand over her heart. It was beating faster than a hummingbird's wings. That had been close.

_Too close._

An internal struggle began behind her breast. Her heart and mind duked it out much the way that she and Neji had gone at it during the chuunin exams. Too close? How could it be too close? How else would she ever get what she wanted, unless she took a chance? Was that what Naruto's trials and tribulations had taught her over the years?

Looking towards the rear area of the bar, Naruto saw a large group of people push their way through a colorful curtain made of hundreds of colored bead strings. Some looked disgruntled, but most were laughing or smiling. A few cradled silver buckets as if they were infants or pampered pooches.

"Hey! Looks like those damn squatters are _finally_ done hogging the Pachinko machines. Alright! Finally a little good luck."Naruto began pulling down his zipper, and then stopped, realizing where he was. "I gotta piss. When I'm done, do you want to play some? They can bring our drinks back there. I got plenty of money." Naruto picked the open frog purse up by the wrong end. Coins clanked off of the bar… the stools… and a spittoon situated between the legs of a hirsute man on a nearby seat.

"The curse of the pink-haired girl!" The woman next to Naruto chuckled, building a temple out of dirty shot glasses. "You can blame it all on that hussy. The color's unnatural!"

While Naruto gaped, before sneering and clenching his fists at the thought of Sakura and his misbehaving money, Hinata hopped down from her stool. "I'll g-g-get those, N-Naruto-kun…." Hinata hopped down off of her stool, wanting to help. Wobbling, she wind-milled her arms and fell into one man's lap. He looked to have been praying.

"Thank the gods!" The man said, his eyes lighting up. "My prayers have been answered." His hands began wandering where they had no business going. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a handful of shuriken blossomed from the back of his chair.

"Don't mess with my friend." Naruto's eyes looked like they were on loan from Death himself. "She's a _nice _girl."

The man stammered an apology and offered to buy Hinata a drink. She declined. Watching Naruto bounce off of one table or patron after another, she bit her finger. He did care about her.

As a friend.

Shouldn't she be content with that? For so long, she never really had any friends _at all._ No. It was _not_ enough. She wanted him to protect her because he loved her. She wanted him to protect her because he couldn't think about living without her. Yes. That's what she wanted.

_She would do those things for him._

Busying herself picking up the coins, Hinata smiled, looking at Naruto's money purse. A frog. She had heard stories about the great frog Boss, _Gama Bunta_, but had never seen it. How many young chuunin could work a summoning of _any_ type? Naruto could, and he was able to call out the greatest of _all_ amphibians.

Maybe she didn't have any business dreaming about someone like him. Was he out of her league?

Maybe.

But, there were no other girls rushing to break down his door. If there had been, she would have been certain to hear about it. She had been keeping close tabs on him over the years, even when his training took him far from Konoha. Finished with her task, she settled down to wait.

Meanwhile, Naruto was busy waiting in line at the restroom. Hopping from foot to foot, he did his best to hold he flow. Finally, when a number of guys staggered out, he ran in, almost sliding into a urinal.

"**Ahhhhhh**…."

While Naruto was relieving himself, he overheard two men joking. "A shinobi is relieving himself in the head when a soldier walks in and steps up to the urinal next to him…."

The young ninja was distracted. It was not a good time or place for that. He lost track of where the thing he held in his hands was aimed.

"After a few seconds the ninja finishes, shakes, zips up and walks over to the sink to wash his hands. The soldier also finishes, zips up, and walks to the door…." The storyteller to the right kept going.

The peeing man to Naruto's left called out:_ "_Hey man, keep it off my g'dam shoes…asshole! Oh… it's _you_… never mind… piss all you want…." He didn't want anything to do with a boy with a demon in his belly.

"Just then, the shinobi says 'Hey, soldier! When I was in training, they taught us to wash our hands when we finished….' "

"Sorry!" Naruto gave the retreating man a sarcastic salute. Realizing just how much he had been off target, in volume as well as distance, he hoped that the management had a mop. No, a few mops. And a really big bucket.

"The soldier looks at the ninja and says, 'When I was in boot camp, they taught me not to piss on my hands!' "When the jokester saw Naruto, he began stammering. "I… I… I think I… uh… had the joke _backwards_. Let me try it again" The man was quivering.

Naruto took a moment to pay attention to room temperature. Funny, it didn't seem that cold. Why was the man shaking like that?

"A soldier is relieving himself in the head when a ninja walks in and steps up to the urinal next to him…."

"It's alright, mister" Naruto said laughing. "It was a funny joke." He grimaced when he saw the man slip and slide out of the room. The advancing wave of yellow liquid had almost covered the entire floor by now. "What your step… the floor's wet…."

The unseen man in a toilet stall spoke up. "Hey… you're a real good guy, you know. Thanks for buying everybody those rounds, earlier." The door opened and the man stepped out, looking for a dry place to step. He wore the robes of a city official. His eyes were sunken and very red.

"No problem!" Naruto said, heading over to the sink. He had been trained not to piss on his hands. But, it never hurt to pay attention to personal hygiene. Sneezing, he wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"And you're pretty darn luckytoo." The red-eyed gentleman claimed. "Your girlfriend is quite cute, you know. Does _she_ know about that Sakura chick you're hot for? I won't tell her man… but some of the _other _guys might!" He looked under the remaining stalls to see if anyone was listening. He was rewarded with a sandal to the face.

"Girlfriend?" Naruto screwed up his face, and then scratched his head.

"Owww.Shit." The man rubbed his nose. "Yeh. You know. That girl sitting with you at the bar. You have excellent taste, man. That Sakura must be pretty damn hot, if you're looking to stable two ponies!" The man headed back out into the bar.

It took a while for the one neuron in Naruto's brain that wasn't Sake-drenched to fire. "Oh! He must have meant Hinata. Girl friendThat guy better lay off the sauce!" Speaking to himself, Naruto went to pull the door open. He couldn't for some reason. Angry, he tugged with all of his might. The handle came off in his hand.

_He felt a bit foolish, realizing that the door pushed open._

Hinata? Really cute? The guy thought he'd be lucky if Hinata was his girl? What planet was he from? I mean… Hinata is just Hinata… right? She's probably the _last_ girl he would think about. Heck, she was probably the last girl that _anybody _would think about! Well, in'that' way.

She was really sweet and all. Dependable, too. And, she was the only other young shinobi who tried nearly as hard as he did.

_But Sakura…._

Mmmm.

When he stepped into the main room of the bar, Hinata was standing there waiting for him. She held a glass of Sake in both hands.' Now _that_ was a pretty sight.

SAKE!

He bounced off of patrons and tables as he strove straight towards the waiting drink. He was distracted, telling himself how both Sake and Sakura start with the same three letters. What an interesting coincidence.

"Naruto-kun, are you OK?"

"Huh? Of _course _I am. Uzumaki Naruto is made of strong stuff." The young chuunin smacked the stone wall extremely hard with his fist. His eyes grew large. His mouth fell open. "Owww…." The word came out in a whisper.

Hinata put a hand over her mouth.

"Shit. What's so damn funny? Whatever!" Naruto stared. Hinata had taken something out of her purse. It was a small jar of ointment.

"Here…N-N-Naruto-kun… I'm sorry… let me see…" Hinata gently took Naruto's hand, and then rubbed some cream on his wound.

"Uhhh…"Naruto stood looking at his hand for a few moments, and then smiled. That stuff felt good. "Well, are ready for the wonders of Pachinko? Good!I'll tell you a joke as we walk in…." Naruto pushed through the handing beads, neglecting to hold them back for Hinata. They hit her square in the face and caused her to spill Sake down the front of her blouse. "A soldier is relieving himself in the head when a ninja walks in and steps up to the urinal next to him…."  
Naruto caught himself, "Well… you know… maybe now is not the best time for jokes… hah hah…."

Hinata bit her lip. She wanted Naruto to feel comfortable around her. But she did not want him to feel so chummy that he told her _that_ kind of joke! She looked around a fairly large room that dwarfed the bar area.

The Pachinko parlor was better lit than the main area. Modern lighting gave the décor a nice warm look, complimenting the polished wooden panels and the strikingly colorful paintings on the wall. Like the other room, smoke was everywhere; but, the noise was even worse than it had been at the bar.

Dozens of large and brightly painted machines lined every available surface. Small tables dotted the room, providing the players a place to put their drinks, buckets, and smokes. People of all possible descriptions huddled around upright contrivances, shouting in victory, cursing in defeat, and employing odd body language in an attempt to direct falling metal balls to favored locations.

"Pachinko!"Naruto swept his arm in a grand gesture. "You probably didn't know it, but this game provides about one tenth of the Hidden Leaf's yearly revinue. There's a _lot _of people hooked on it." The tone in the young ninja's voice suggested he was one of them, or well on the way to becoming one.

"Oh…" Hinata tried to look eager. She had learned more about Sake and origami than she really wanted to know. Why not some goofy game, too?

"Now while it might be considered a type of gambling…." Naruto laughed at the look on his companion's face. "…That's only because it's more of a game of chance than skill. But, there _are_ talented players that can win a great deal of money playing the game." Naruto put a thumb up against his chest, and then stuck an arm out to lean against the nearest wall.

_He misjudged the distance, and fell over like a cut tree._

Hinata closed her eyes, not wanting to see the impact. The top of one table separated from the base and began rolling out of the room like a wheel. Someone unseen tripped, dropped a large load of drinks, and then cursed. When Hinata opened her eyes again, Naruto was standing. He tried his thumb gesture again.

"I'm pretty good. It helps me keep the frog purse full, when that perverted hermit keeps pilfering from it." He shook his head. If Jiraiya was there no, he's probably lecture his apprentice on the evils of money, gambling, and women. Shit! Old perverted hypocrite!

"The game derived from a foreign one called 'Log Tavern' or 'Pinball Game Machine,'patented many years ago in the West. When it first arrived in this village, it was called 'Korinto Gemu'and later became known as 'Pachi-Pachi'because the clacking noises sound like a crackling fire." Naruto swilled down half of his Sake, and then motioned to a circulating waitress. "Hinata, you got that?"

"Ummm… y-y-yes… Pachi pachi." She tried to keep from laughing. How could he say 'pachi pachi' with a straight face. "Korinto… Korinto…." Hinata gazed at Naruto, drinking in every aspect of him. He had changed over the past few years. Taller. Broader. More hair. A more muscular build.

"Gemu," Naruto said. He noticed Hinata's stare. "Huh? I got something on my shirt? Never mind." Naruto whistled and held up his hand, making a certain gesture, ordering some snacks. "The term Pachinko existed since the feudal era, once signifying a catapult or the item that was shot by a catapult. _Pachin_ means snap, click, or crack. It is an oma… omapo… omopeno…." He was trying for _onomatopoeic. _"…A word that describes the sound of the snapping gum. _Ko_ is a ball."

"I see!" Hinata was nodding her head. She tried not to smile. Naruto was so cute when he got all worked up over something he enjoyed. Then again, everything about him seemed special to her.

"Hmmm." Naruto walked over to Hinata and stood very close to her. "You _really_ want to hear this, or are you just being nice as usual?" He glared at her, suddenly not in a mood to be patronized or coddled.

"Sure! I mean, _please_ go on." Hinata drank her Sake, so that her face wouldn't give her away.

"Not just humoring poor heartbroken Naruto? 'That Naruto._' _The poor jerk that chases after dreams he can't have?" Naruto scowled.

"No. Never. Because I have dreams too… that I… uh…. " Hinata's bowed her head. "Probably can't have…." She looked up again, and then spoke more positively. "But that _doesn't _mean I will quit."

Naruto stood still, hearing the echo of his own past words. He rubbed his chin, looking more closely at Hinata, but was distracted by the cocktail hostess who took their order.

"The earliest games consisted of a sloped board with holes in it. In a semicircle around the lower part of these holes were nails sticking in the board." Naruto patted his pants until he found the pocket with his money. He poured out a few coins to the serving girl. "The aim of the game was, using a wooden stick, to shoot little metal balls, one by one, along a lane up to the highest point of the sloped board. From there the ball would roll down the board and hopefully fall in one of the semi-circles of nails and thus through a hole. Then the player received a certain amount of points depending on the hole. Success depended on speed, and twist of the ball."

Naruto walked over to a large counter, took out some coins, and then received two large red metal buckets and a pair of blue plastic cards.

Hinata looked behind the counter. There was a large glass case of shelves, containing all sorts of items, from electronics and jewelry, to foodstuffs, leather products, vintage wine, cigarettes, and even fancy floral arrangements.

"First designed to be played at home, it soon changed into a game where children could win prizes like sweets, fruits, or pencils. The popularity increased rapidly. More than fifty years ago, almost every sweets shop had Pachi-Pachi. They could also be found at markets and festivals." Naruto had point over at the shelves that Hinata had been looking at. "They became popular among adults. The prizes for them were _not_ sweets. Instead, they could win tobacco, vegetables, soy sauce, soap, and other things."

Hinata wrinkled up her nose. Some of the drunken and disheveled men who walked past could certainly use soap.

"The game changed to be vertical because the former horizontal machines took too much space. For that reason some innovations had to be made. The wooden stick was replaced by a metal spring in order to get the required power to shoot the balls up. And the machine was covered with glass so that the balls cannot fall out. This new game…called Gachan or Gachanko… spread rapidly throughout all of the nearby nations. Masamura Shochu, a retired shinobi from the Village of the Mist, modified the game according to the physical law of movements. Before _his _work, the nails had been set randomly."

Hinata was twiddling her thumbs. She forced herself to stop. She was a young adult now. Concentrating all of her willpower, she stifled a yawn. It didn't hurt to learn something. And she really did want to play something fun. "What do we do, Naruto-kun?"

"The object of Pachinko is to have the balls directed into winning pockets," Naruto replied. If you do that, you receive balls that equate to a prize or a monetary amount. The Pachinko player is only responsible for controlling the speed by which the pachinko balls are shot onto the playing surface…from then on, it basically becomes a game of chance."

Naruto stopped then.

He cursed.

"Chance. Like I even had a _chance_ with Sakura." Naruto kicked at a nearby stool. "Guess I'm not a big enough prize for someone like _her."_

Hinata looked away.

"Hey, wake _up_ Hinata. You asked the question!" Naruto's voice was suddenly full of life. But, having watched and listened to him over the years, the girl was able to judge his true state.

"Ummm… please continue, Naruto-kun… the Sake… it… uh…." She hated to lie. Doing so really made her feel uncomfortable. But, she had to do what she felt was necessary.

"To start playing Pachinko, you insert money… or a prepaid card…." He held up one of the cards he had bought, and then handed it and a bucket to the white-eyed girl. "A certain number of balls will then drop into a loading area. By pulling the handle-like knob, one ball is released and projected by a spring. Most of the balls will fall unsuccessfully through the pins to the bottom, but some will fall into special pockets that activate the Pachinko slot machine. At this point you are instantly rewarded with a set number of balls. If the same three symbols match up on these reels…excuse me…" Naruto pointed to spinning objects on a machine a woman was playing. "…You win an even greater amount"

"Are those new balls used to play again?" Hinata tried to follow the action at other machines, seeing what happened when someone won.

"No. If you win balls, you can exchange them into goods back there at the gift counter." Naruto lowered his voice. "But you can also bypass the taxes placed on gambling by exchanging the balls first into some special goods, and then exchange them for cash at a small window just outside the parlor. Froggie likes _that _trick."

"Isn't it against the law?" Hinata bit her lip.

"Well… only if you get caught." Naruto put his items down on a table near a pair of vacated machines. "But, they don't make an effort to catch anyone usually. It's one of those acceptable illegal things. If you know what I mean." Naruto picked up his glass and emptied it.

"We'll forget about the Hanemono type of machines for now, even though that might be a good place for you to start. They're easier to win at; but, because of that, they aren't as much fun. And, the payoff is next to nothing."

"OK." Hinata really didn't care what kind of machine she used. The payoff she would get was simply spending time with Naruto.

"These digital Pachenko machines…the Deji-Pachitype… are a _lot_ more exciting. Their payoffs make them worth playing for more than just fun, and keep the game from becoming repetitive and boring. Later… if like this… we'll give the Kenrimomo machines a try. That is, if the hard core crowd leave any open." Naruto looked to the back of the room. Given the number of people waiting, he doubted that was going to happen.

"Ummm… Naruto-kun… I don't want to sound stupid… but why the buckets…." Hinata had her answer soon enough, seeing a woman scoop her winnings into her bucket.

Naruto answered just the same. "See these digital windows on our machines? They are like the reels on others. If the windows come up matching, you are a winner! At that time, about 2300 balls will drop out into your bucket. It's still possible for you to continue to win on the same machine even after hitting this small jackpot. Match the right symbols, and you might win about _10,000 _balls." Naruto shook his head a moment, feeling a bit dizzy. "The balls you win go into your bucket. Unless, of course you want to put them in mine!" Naruto winked. But… just remember… don't you go grabbing for _my_ balls!"

Everybody stopped what they were doing to turn and stare at Naruto and Hinata. How they could have heard that unintentional gaff above the din and racket had no reasonable explanation. In any case, when the last remaining balls in motion clattered their way to the bottom after hitting the last nail, the room went entirely silent for a moment. Then, everyone began snickering and making sly comments.

Hinata's face was burning up. "N-N-Naruto-kun!"" Hinata wasn't really one for slang terms, even the one that every child seemed to know. But, she knew exactly what 'balls' meant in certain contexts, thanks to the fact that a blunt and loud-mouthed Kiba was her teammate.

"Huh?" Naruto scratched his head. Then, it dawned on him. He realized just how his words could be interpreted.

"Uhhh… ummm…." He cleared his throat and then shouted. "**IT'S **_**NOT**_** AS IF HINATA WOULD BE AFTER MY BALLS OR ANYTHING. **" The laughter and commentary continued just the same. _"Right, _Hinata?"

The young woman dropped her bucket.

She was speechless.

Eventually, she regained enough of her senses to start playing the game. But, she swallowed hard when she saw the front of her machine. It was a Newgin product, and they all carried a metal label that read 'Realize your dream.'

Could she?

Was that an omen of some sort?

Hinata took a closer look at the large Pachinko unit. The front playing space was beautifully decorated. It was so colorful. No, it was more than that. It was beautiful. Golden background. Silver clouds and borders. Vibrant green dragon. White tiger with flashing red eyes. Red, blue, and green bumpers, with tricolor shuriken markings. The pins were all gold plated. The plastic parts on the front of the black machine were a remarkable shade of red.

She swallowed hard.

It had been hard to pick out at first.

But, there was no mistaking it when she looked closer. In the background, looming above all other images, there was a smiling orange fox. The symbolism had Hinata catching her breath. In everything she did, Naruto was always in the back of her mind.

She looked over at Naruto's machine. His was no less colorful. The fancy face plate depicted a handsome young man, leaping forward from an intricately depicted _Kanzakura_, the sacred cherry tree in which he lived. That must be _Musubi-no-Kami_, the god of love and marriage. He was offering a girl a bough of cherry blossoms, promising her love in the future.

Hinata stared.

Each time a bumper was hit, the girl's eyes lit up.

_They were white._

The pair of shinobi played for a while. Hinata actually found herself smiling. The game was addictive. But, she couldn't figure out why. Naruto was all over the place, telling everybody when he won, and making dramatic speeches about Fate when he lost. For a while, his eyes looked so full of life, just like they used to when he spoke about noodles or bragged about learning a new jutsu. For a short blissful period of time, Sakura was the furthest thing from his mind.

Hinata looked at him, jealous of his spirit. He worked so hard when he had missions to prepare for. And now, when it was time to play, _he_ knew how to play hard.

She didn't.

When she worked, she worked. But when she played, she worked some more. Or hurt. Or waited for something to happen. Or someone else to make something happen. But, despite everything, she found herself having fun, too. She even laughed a few times when Naruto did animated handstands and back flips after winning, and everybody tossed a handful of prize balls into his bucket.

Someone like him could teach her how to enjoy herself. She doubted that many other people could.

_Maybe things were really starting to look up!_

Naruto scratched his chin, and then clicked the fingers on one hand. "So, Hinata… I almost forgot. We were going to talk about what you wanted in life…." Naruto cursed when he didn't win any balls that go-round.

Taken aback, Hinata didn't realize she had just won a small jackpot. She had forgotten about that looming question. Naturally, she had assumed that Naruto had forgotten as well.

"Hey, Hinata. Is something wrong? You're a winner." Naruto chuckled, but his eyes went a little hard. "But that's nothing new, _right?_ You come from a big clan. You have a father and a sister. Now that you all get along again… you have _everything…."_

The white eyed girl opened her mouth to deny that statement. Naruto didn't realize what she had gone through in the past, or the things she had to deal with now.

Naruto pulled his knob. A ball fell. One window showed the most desired icon. Soon, the other two did as well. The flashing lights on his machine blinked on and off in dazzling new patterns. He had won the top jackpot.

"Ha!" Naruto exclaimed, but not happily. "I'm a winner at the game, but…." He didn't seem as happy as he should be. "…I'm a loser at life… and a big loser at love!"

Hinata's hands twitched. She spilled Sake down one leg. Her mouth remained open.

"Yeh! Such a lucky guy, right?" The angry ninja began scooping colored prize balls into his pocket, spilling almost as many as he managed to get in the bucket. "There was only one girl that I cared about. Only one girl I wanted to like me. Sakura." Naruto didn't bother looking at Hinata. He simple moved his knob again. A kindly old man gathered up Naruto's dropped balls, but the young chuunin said the man was welcome to keep them. "Yes, Sakura-chan. I've watched her _forever. _Ino always called her a big forehead girl…but to me, she was the prettiest thing I had ever seen." Naruto downed his next drink. "But, I guess that all sounds stupid to someone like you, right Hinata? Poor foolish Naruto and his impossible crush!"

Hinata wanted to say 'no,' but her mouth wouldn't open. Her hand slid off of her knob. She knew all too well about watching. There was no one who could teach her more about crushes than she already knew.

_If only Naruto had chosen her instead of Sakura._

The attendant behind the counter traded places with the next man coming on shift. The new arrival turned the music up very loud, so that it could be heard over the din of the machines.

_**Time is on my side, yes, it is.  
Time is on my side, yes, it is.**_

Naruto shook his head, and then muttered "Yeh, right!"

_**Now you were saying that you want to be free  
but you'll come runnin' back, you'll come runnin' back,  
you'll come runnin' back to me.**_

Hinata looked over at Naruto. For a moment, she pictured him running to her. But, how can someone come running back, if they were never with you in the first place.

_**Time is on my side, yes, it is.  
Time is on my side, yes, it is.**_

Time.

The young woman had been waiting so long for Naruto to notice her.

Was that a mistake? Should she have done something?

But what? What could a shy girl like her do? What difference would it make?

_**You're searching for good times but just wait and see,  
you'll come runnin' back, you'll come runnin back,  
you'll come runnin' back to me. **_

Naruto remained skeptical about the song, despite its ultimate message of hope

"Did I tell you that I once defeated Sasuke with multiple clones, before he realized that I had such a skill? Well, I _did." _That brought a crooked smile to his face. But, soon, he frowned. He banged one hand against his machine. "I took on his appearance, and almost got Sakura to kiss me. She wanted to. She wanted to kiss that pretty boy. But, what did _he_ care about _her? _Nothing!But that didn't matter. Not to her. It was Sasuke-kun this and Sasuke-kunthat… over and over... enough to make anyone sick!!! You can't _possibly_ understand how that made me feel."

Hinata spoke up louder than she thought possible. "Yes, I can Naruto-kun…." But, a very loud and drunk man had hit a jackpot. His screaming and shouting drowned out the white-eyed ninja's words.

_**Go ahead, go ahead and light up the town!  
Baby, do everything your heart desires..  
Remember, I'll always be around.  
And I know like I told you so many times before  
you're gonna come back, baby.  
you're gonna come back knockin' right on my door.**_

"And when we all met Kakashi for the first time… what did that damn Sasuke say that he wanted? To _kill _some guy. Great. Such an f-cking admirable choice!" Naruto failed to mention that he had repeatedly mentioned noodles as the things that he most liked. "But, when the Copy Ninja asked Sakura what _she_ wanted, guess who she looked at. Yeh. And, when she was asked what she hated, she said 'Naruto.' Great!" Naruto kicked his bucket savagely, denting it and sending balls everywhere.

Hinata bit her lip. She wanted to tell Naruto that she knew how he felt, because she had always been thinking about him.

She wanted let him know him that she would always be around.

_**Time is on my side, yes, it is.  
Time is on my side, yes, it is.**_

_**'Cause I got the real love, the kind that you need.  
You'll come runnin' back, you'll come runnin' back,  
you'll come runnin' back to me.**_

Hinata wanted to promise Naruto that she had real love, the kind that he would need… the kind that he would want to run back to.

More than that. The kind he would never want to leave.

_It hadn't started off that way, of course._

Her early fascination had not been anything like a crush. Naruto had been so different, that he automatically caught her attention. He used to fight so hard to be noticed, while she just hid in the shadows. He had been interesting, another person like her who wasn't perfect or popular. He had been another person with difficult things to deal with.

He had become her inspiration… her idol… someone to look up to… a source of hope.

But, at some point, she began wishing that he would notice her too, even though she didn't think that she was worthy of notice.

Hinata had been happy whenever succeeded. She had been proud, too. Whenever he won, a small part of her felt like it had won. Even though she had not wanted to be a ninja at first, she found that feeling changing over time, too. She worked harder and harder, but still kept having troubles on missions. Her attention and dedication were not what they should be.

But, when she was face to face with Neji, in a situation she should have backed down from, Naruto had called out encouragement. He had been the only one to do so! He helped her stand her ground. It was his words that had allowed her to find the courage to fight, knowing that her cousin was a far superior ninja.

She had no business fighting Neji, not simply because of the whole Main Family and Branch Family mess; but because she could have died. As it was, she had been seriously injured.

_But, that day, she wouldn't quit in front of her important person._

She had been badly hurt. Even when she left the hospital facilities, her body hadn't healed enough. During Naruto's match against her arrogant cousin, she started coughing up blood, missing everything else that followed. He had spoken up in her behalf, again.

Hinata downed yet another drink, marveling at how smooth it felt. She smiled, remembering her first drink of the night. No, her first drink _ever._ She thought she would die back then. Listen to her! Thinking 'back then,' like it was a distant memory. But, somehow, it did feel like an eternity ago.

Holding the empty glass in both hands, she stared through it. Everything was so blurry and distorted. Her cognitive ability wasn't, however. She could remember the sights, sounds, and smells of one day in particular.

On his way to the arena, Naruto had stopped by the training grounds. For a brief moment, she found the courage to speak her heart and to offer him encouragement. He had finished by saying that she was someone he could like.

_Those words had been engraved in her heart ever since._

"_N-N_-Naruto-kun….."

"No… don't worry about _me,_ Hinata… I'm fine. I'm just great!" Naruto had purchased another ticket on the self-pity express_. "_I saved her life… a number of times. Did you know that? When Sasuke left the Leaf, he wouldn't listen to anything Sakura had to say. But, I told her I'd bring him back." he shook his head. "I have five words for you. Promise. Of. A. F-cking. Lifetime." He swore under his breath, using more colorful terms. _"_I knew how she felt about him. I _still _tried to keep my word to her. I almost died. I _should_ have died. If I hadn't touched some small part of goodness left in Sasuke, he could have killed me." Naruto drank both glasses of Sake that arrived, not bothering to ask Hinata if she wanted hers.

She did, now.

Tugging on a waiter's coat, she asked for two more.

"Did the bitch care?" Anger and bile rose up in Naruto's throat. "Maybe some. But, all she said was that we would both go out to get him next time. Him. Everything was about him, then. And probably now, too. He didn't care enough to stay for her. He didn't come back for her. I've been here all the time!" Naruto began to build up chakra in his palm, but stopped. Who was he actually going to use Rasengan against? He couldn't wipe away his painful memories with a spiraling sphere.

He wasn't a destroyer. He wasn't an avenger.

As long as he still had breath, he would _never_ let his anger or disappointments turn into an excuse to hurt the innocent. Despite everything that happened in his early years, he truly loved people. He had wanted more than anything to bring Sasuke back. He had fought for Sakura… and Sasuke… against Gaara. Because he had stood up for what mattered, he had been able to change the would-be Kazekage's life in a way that his foe's brother and sister couldn't begin to imagine at the time. Now, Gaara was his friend. Kankouro and Temari, too. The Sand and Leaf were allies. If he could have that effect on enemies and rival nations, why couldn't he change the heart of one pink-haired girl?

He had done something similar for that little boy at the bridge. He had done it for so many people over the past few years. Even the damn Jiraiya acted like he had found a new purpose in life. Old Lady Tsunade was better off, too. So was Konoha, with her as Hokage.

_When was somebody going to do something like that for him?_

"What was so wrong about asking if she wanted to go to a dance?" Naruto kicked a machine, triggering its 'tilt' siren. Flashing red light bathed his body. "Why couldn't she have just said 'yes'? How could that have hurt her? Did she have to laugh? Was there some reason she had to brush me off like I was a complete stranger? After all I had done for her?"

"I… I think about… you…..and… I would have gone… ummm… with you…." Hinata forced those words out. It was hard. She didn't know if she could do it again, despite the effect of the alcohol. But, Naruto didn't hear her. Again, there had been a distraction. A man was arguing violently about the value of his winnings, and was escorted off the premises. Hinata felt as if Destiny was acting against her.

_What other explanation could there be?_

She pulled her knob, watching the ball bounce off of the pins. Soon it was down, its one task done, nestled amongst the other balls that never made it to the desired places.

Just like her.

_**Time time time is on my side, yes, it is.  
Time time time is on my side, yes, it is. **_

That one line kept repeating, as the song faded away. Was time on her side? Could she afford to simply wait for something to happen? What could she do to shift things in her favor?

Naruto continued pouring his heart out. "It was hard to work up the courage to ask her, especially after the number of times she had rejected me, or had taken me for granted. It was like I never existed to her, or was simply someone whose spirit I admired!" Naruto poured coins onto a tray one waitress was carrying back to the bar. He asked for a whole bottle of the best stuff.

Hinata wanted to scream. She and Naruto were so alike in some ways. The parallels were staggering. She wanted to make him see that. But, what would her words matter?

_Who had ever listened to her? _

"She was _so_ pretty…." Naruto leaned up against the noisy machine, his breath frosting the glass cover. "You should have _seen _her…." He drew an hourglass figure on the glass, before the condensation evaporated. "I couldn't take my eyes off of her." He closed his eyes. "Sa-ku-ra."

Suddenly, Naruto stood straighter. He tried to shake off his malaise. It had been unseemly for a squad leader to be talking all dreamy like that. It was bad enough he had chosen to drown his sorrows in Sake.

That wasn't how guys spoke. That meant that it wasn't how _he_ should speak! He noticed everyone staring at him. It was time to show them his heart… and _other_ parts… were in the right place.

When the attractive and enticingly dressed waitress returned with his bottle of _Ichiya Shizuku, _he purposefully eyed her up and down, smiled, and sucked in what little gut he had. He felt better, seeing a number of other guys do the same. Taking his bottle, he upended it, made an explosive 'Ahhhhh' sound, and then wiped his mouth.

His belch had an extremely large man looking at him with envy in his eyes.

"Sakura," Naruto said with a shake of his head and a sigh. He spoke to man who looked over at him and raised a drink, another victim of a broken heart. "That dress she wore… mmm hmmm…." He had a faraway look in his eyes. "I never realized she had such a nice rack. Maybe Granny Tsunade is teaching her more than medicine.

Hinata's bumped her basket off of the table.

"Oh… Hinata…." Naruto had forgotten she was there for a second. He saw the look on the kunoichi's face, and was perplexed a second. Then, he looked apologetic. "That was rude of me."

"It's… it's OK… Naruto-kun…" Hinata looked down at her own blouse for a second, not certain why she did so.

"No it's not!" Naruto contradicted her. "I shouldn't use that kind of talk. It's OK for a guy to look at a girl… you know… but that doesn't mean he has to blurt it out or something." For a moment, his eyes widened, as if he had taken notice of something for the first time. Not only had Hinata grown significantly in height, she had also started filling out her blouse in a remarkable way.

Hinata caught that look. She had the good graces to blush. Her first impulse was to turn away from Naruto, since she felt very uncomfortable. How could he say things like that to her? How could he look that way at her chest, when she couldn't possible miss where his eyes had wandered? She was a lady!

But, she was also a girl. A lonely girl. A lonely girl who very much wanted to win the attention of one particular young man. The Sake working on her, she imagined a small angel sitting on one of her shoulders shoulder and a small squatting on the other.

"We've never met, miss goody two boots. But, let me make up for lost opportunities." The imaginary devil spun its pitchfork like a drum majorette's baton. "Right now, he's got his eyes on you. It might be the first time. For all we know, it could be the last time. You might want to strike while the iron is hot, if you know what I mean." The devil walked over to a mini-Pachinko machine, pulled a lever, and watched as an endless supply of prize balls began filling up all of known existence. "I mean… what could it possibly hurt… right?"

When the devil disappeared, the angel jumped to the other shoulder, then took out a clean rag to wipe down the spot where the devil had been sitting. She sprayed a liberal amount of air freshener and pulled the plug that let all the prize balls drop away.

"Is _that _what you want to be? A woman of loose morals?" The angel practically, dressed in purest white. With a snooty look, she took out a hand mirror and adjusted her rhinestone halo. "What's next, a strip tease? Is that what you want Naruto to see you as, a pair of breasts and nothing more? You're better than that, Hyuuga Hinata. And, I _know_ that you'll make the right choice." She picked up a harp. "Besides, you don't want to give him the wrong impression, _do_ you? That is not how you really are. It would be false advertising. You could never keep things up…." She strummed the harp. The sound would have been appropriate at a dirge. "…And then you would loose him... forever…."

When the angel disappeared, the devil slunk back in. He smiled. "_Psssssst!!! _It worked for Sakura…." The little red horned figure disappeared, doing a jackknife dive into her Sake.

Hinata downed that drink… bit her lip… and made a momentous decision. Sure, it might be out of character. She could blame it on the alcohol. She slowly arched her back, leaning against her machine.

"Hinata… are you alright…." Naruto asked. "Does your back hurt or something?"

That exploded the mood.

_Big time._

Hinata didn't necessarily like the way she was behaving under the influence; but, if she was going to do something like that, at least that idiot could do her the courtesy of paying attention! Now she felt compelled to do more, even though her conscience was screaming at her. But what? Take deep breaths and hold them? Unbutton some of her buttons?

No.

This was _not _her ninja way.

But, she wasn't there as a ninja. She was there as a young woman. A young woman who might never have a chance like this again. She might indeed hate herself in the morning.

_It wasn't morning._

"Where was I? Oh yeh. Sakura!" Naruto put both hands behind his head. "It's probably rude to talk about her that way. Right? So I shouldn't mention that she has nice legs, too…."

Hinata was tempted to put one leg up on her stool. She couldn't bring herself to do it.

"The only problem is… she has a really _r-e-a-l-l-y _big caboose!" Naruto shook his head, sticking out his lower lip. His tongue acting without his brain, he felt compelled to make another observation. "You know. I never noticed before. _You_ have a really nice butt, Hinata. Really nicely round and… uhhh… I mean…" Turning away quickly he slipped on some of the balls he had spilled. He landed hard on his back.

Hinata put her hand to her mouth.

"Now would be a _v-e-r-y _good time to bend over, helping him pick up all of those prize balls. He _is_ your important person, _isn't_ he?" That was the shoulder devil again. He was busy sharpening his tail barb with a fingernail file. "You wouldn't want to see him get seriously injured, if you could do something to prevent it, _right? _Take your time. You don't want to miss any." The devil smiled an innocent looking smile, all the while holding the only door into Hinata's imagination shut. There looked to be part of a big feathery wing caught in it.

The young genin stool still, watching as Naruto rubbed the back of his head. She couldn't help herself. Out of desperation, or simply as a opportunity to do something wild after being straight-laced for her entire life, she bent over and began scraping balls into Naruto's bucket. She knew that her rear end would be only a few feet from Naruto's face.

Naruto's mouth fell open, and then he quickly looked away. He managed to hold off his natural male urges for awhile. But, soon enough, he looked a second time. And a third.

Hinata noticed. She had his attention. But, what should she do now?

_The question was moot._

Once again, Naruto's mouth was running a number of streets ahead of his brain, looking at an entirely different map. "Thanks for the help, Hinata. I sure wish Sakura was more like you!"

Hinata froze. Looking at her reflection in the glass of her Pachinko machine, she saw an image of an angel. 'I told you so,' it mouthed.

She had shamed herself by acting the way she did, and it still didn't matter. She had debased herself, because she wanted his attention more than anything else. But, no! It was Sakura this and Sakura that. _Sakura…… Sakura…… Sakura……_

Tears came to her eyes. She didn't bother to turn her head or wipe them away. What would anyone else care?

She had tried so hard in everything she did these days. She had always given her greatest effort, after that battle with Neji. Could Sakura say the same? Sure, she had worked hard with the Hokage. By all accounts, she had become a very talent medical ninja. But… if she was to believe Ino… the pink-haired girl still hadn't given her best.

Why did Naruto want _her_, then?

Hinata knew Jyukan, the Gentle Fist, and had gotten much better using it, thanks to the training she received from Neji. He had even helped her learn Kaiten. Add to that her skill with the Byakugan, and she was becoming a formidable shinobi! She had even begun learning to master Rokujuu Yonshou.

Didn't strength mean something to Naruto? She had always thought that it did!

Hinata looked at one woman's Pachinko machine. The lights flashed brightly. It was pretty. It made a lot of noise, but really didn't do much. But, it certainly drew everyone's attention.

_That was just like Sakura!!!!_

Hinata didn't want to be like that. She didn't want to be a prize that someone collected, only to lose its luster when the next big win came around. Why couldn't Naruto see her for who and what she was? Her thoughts made a beeline back to that one specific day.

She had called Naruto a 'proud failure.' She had told him that she got an intense feeling in her heart when she looked at him, because he was not perfect. He had looked so pleased when she told him that he was a strong person, because true strength was the strength to get back up again.

He had said that he had been feeling depressed, but was feeling great after hearing that. She had felt good too then, when he smiled and thanked her. But then, he said something that hurt, even though he would later say that she was someone he could like.

'You know… about you… I thought you were a plain looking, dark weirdo.'

Was that how he had truly seen her? Had it been remained his opinion ever since? Was that all he would ever see her as? Running from the room, she bumped into countless of stools and tables, knocking over buckets, bottles, ashtrays, and candle holders.

Naruto stared, his mouth open. What was wrong with Hinata? Watching her stumble, tears coursing down her face, he was buffeted by blasts of music coming from nearby speakers.

_**Once I was a rich man  
Now I am so poor  
But never in my sweet short life  
Have I felt like this before**_

Had he done or said something wrong? Or was something _else_ bothering her? After all, she had shown up here and done some heavy drinking.

He never got her to say just why she came.

_**You heart is like a diamond  
You throw your pearls at swine  
And as I watch you leaving me  
You pack my peace of mind**_

The song had Naruto feeling unhappy for some reason.

But, he had no idea why


	4. Two, running

Hinata ran out into the darkened street, not knowing where she should go.

"Damn him." Tears drifted on the wind, trailing out behind her.

She was obviously very upset. The people she rudely brushed past could readily tell that much. They didn't need to see the tears or hear her sobbing.

"Damn him to hell!" Frazzled even more by her choice language, the white-eyed girl became tangled by self recrimination, nearly causing herself to trip in a very physical and tangible way. "Why did I do all that? It was _so_ stupid. And it was for _nothing!."_

The sky was heavily clouded. There was no sign of the full moon that should have lit her way home. The scent of rain was on the air. A storm was coming. The distant flashes of lightning served as confirmation of that fact.

"I should have _known_ what would happen." Her throat was tight, and she found it hard to breathe. "I never should have gone to the bar. I never should have hoped." She nearly tripped over a wind-blown garbage can. "I never should have been born."

The people on the street watched as she ran past, seeing her form appear and disappear as she passed under the street-lamps lining the avenue.

One of her high heels broke off, caught between the misplaced stone in a section of the street that was undergoing repairs. For a few moments, her steps made an awkward asymmetric sound. Stopping, she broke the heel off of the other shoe.

_It didn't matter. _

She never wanted to see those shoes again when she was finished with them. She wishewd that she was versed in fired-based jutsus, so she could burn _all_ of her clothing in its entirety after she got home. It stank of drink and smoke. What's worse, it would always be a painful reminder.

Every step she took found her alternating between sorrow, anger, and confusion. Her heart was broken. She was angry at Naruto, and furious at herself. She didn't know what she would do with the rest of her life, now that her dream was gone. One thing was certain. She didn't want to see any of the other girls tonight. She didn't want to see _anyone._

Hinata stopped at the cross roads, watching as small groups of shinobi and common citizens headed to the dance, or wandered away from it, looking for food, drink, or a place to share time with their companions.

No one else was running. No one else was alone.

Peering down one avenue, she shook her head. She doubted that any of the happy villagers looked or smelled the way she did, either. How could she possibly go home like this? She was drunk. She reeked like the bottom of an ashtray. She looked like she had been put through a rinse cycle and a vigorous spin dry. What could she possibly say, if Hanabi caught sight of her? What explanation could she offer, if her father caught even a single whiff?

Where _else_ could she go? How could she clean her clothing or get a fresh set of clothes?

Biting her lip, she nodded her head. She would check and see if Kurenai-sensei was home. She doubted it, but there was no one else she could bring herself to talk with at the moment. Her teacher always had a good perspective on things. She had seen the good side and bad side of relationships on more than one occasion… her own, and those of her peers. She hated to intrude, though. The older woman, her pregnancy showing, probably still mourned Asuma.

The wind kicked up, blowing a few discarded newspapers past her like enormous moths. A few drops of rain, harbingers of the approaching storm, splattered against her forehead.

"Naruto-kun…."

Hinata began running again, even though she knew she couldn't outpace the memory of what had happened that night. Worse than that, there was no way to erase everything that she had done. She had gone to a pub. She had downed numerous drinks. Way too many drinks. Far more than she could ever hope to remember. She had flirted in ways that weren't anything likeher. No doubt, word of _that_would find its way all over town. Her poor mother would soon be turning over in her grave.

And, when she should have just held her chin up… grabbed her coat… and walked out of the bar… she had run out crying, raising a ruckus, and making her presence there far more memorable than it would have been otherwise.

_Not only that, but she had done it all in front of him_.

But, that was the problem in the first place, _wasn't_ it. Him. Naruto. The only boy she had ever set her sights on. The only person who had ever given her reason to better herself, to look to the future, and to have hope.

Poor Hinata.

Poor stupid and cowardly Hinata.

So cowardly that she had been afraid to tell Naruto the truth. She really _had_ been worried about him, needing make sure he was OK. But she had been afraid he would turn her away if she told him why she was really there.

She had been too scared to risk that. It would have defeated her second purpose. Now, feeling exposed despite the cover of darkness, she thought herself despicable and dirty, realizing what she must have been doing, even though she had been doing it on a subconscious level. She had been opportunistic, hoping to take advantage of Naruto's pain, getting him to look at her when Sakura had pushed him away in such a thoughtless manner.

"H-How could I h-have thought to c-compete with Sakura…." As she ran down the next alley, stopping and plastering herself against the walls with the deepest shadows whenever she caught sight or sound of someone else, a number of old sayings skittered across her mind. She had read them out of her diary, shortly before she had applied the last of her make-up and headed for the dance. She had been trying to build up enough confidence to walk up to Naruto at the dance.

'_It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.'_

Yes. That had been the story of her life, where Naruto was concerned. The only time she had ever truly gotten the courage to think about acting was when he was far from view. Proof of the matter was the time he had returned to the village after his training with the Legendary Sannin. Shino had approached him, only to be upset that Naruto hadn't recognized him. Kiba and Akamaru had greeted him as well. But, she had stood quivering in an alleyway, flummoxed, by no means ready to speak to him.

But, tonight, she had gone to that bar. A number of times, helped by the Sake she swallowed, she had blurted out the truth, only to cover it up or have it drowned out by one noise or another. So close, and yet so far! Now, all she was doing was putting more distance between the two of them. This wasn't the first time she was running away like this. It happened in some of her dreams. But, in those marvelous fantasies, Naruto would follow, beg her forgiveness, and then realize where his heart truly lay.

"_N-N_-Never. Not for _m-m_-me…."

Her dreams were just that. Dreams. The events of dreams are often impossible. Or, if not impossible, unlikely to occur in physical reality. Most of the time, they are also outside the control of the dreamer. The one exception to this is known as lucid dreaming, in which dreamer realizes that he or she is dreaming, and can sometimes change the dream environment and various other aspects of the dream.

Still feeling rather tipsy after her uncharacteristic binging, the grief stricken girl hardly considered herself lucid, dreaming or not. But, she didn't need to be lucid to feel as if her entire world was crashing down around her. She didn't need a clear head to feel hopeless and helpless. She knew exactly where she was, but still felt more lost than she had at any time in her life. That included the terrible day of her mother's death, and the afternoon that her father sent her away with Kurenai.

'_Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.'_

That had sounded so profound. But, all it did was get her hopes up. Had she failed because her dreams were unreachable? Or, had she seen success drift out of her reach, because she had hesitated to tell Naruto how she felt? No. It couldn't be that. If it _was, _the truth would haunt her the rest of her life.

"It's… it's not like he could think about anyone but S-S-Sakura…." Hinata had heard that name enough for one lifetime.

Sakura this. Sakura that. How Naruto missed Sakura. How Sakura had done him wrong. Sakura was beautiful. Sakura was the only girl who mattered. Sakura… Sakura… Sakura.

It just wasn't right!

The thing that Hinata wanted more than anything else seemed far out of her reach, like the highest apple on the tallest tree. But, for Haruno Sakura, the same fruit lay there for the picking, at a low hanging branch within easy reach. So, with that shiny read apple ready for the picking, what did the pink-haired girl do? She treated Naruto like he was an apple with a worm in it. No. She treated him like an apple when she wanted oranges… plums… peaches… even kumquats… anything _but_ apples!

'_Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.'_

Her dream would die.

Sure, Naruto could get over the pain of Sakura's rejection. He might mope over her for a while, but he always found some way to get his life back on course, no matter what fate threw in his way. But, that wasn't the point, _right? _That really wasn't her major obstacle. Before tonight, she had told herself that he hadn't noticed her because she was too quiet. She had told herself that a girl with pink hair would naturally catch his attention, especially since he saw her so often.

But, for her to hold fast to the hope that Naruto's attention might turn to her after he wrote Sakura off as a lost cause, she would need to believe that she herself was someone he could become interested in. How could she ever pray for that, now? He had treated her like she was one of the boys!

"A broken winged bird that cannot fly." Hinata felt her eyes welling up with tears again. She had run out of sobs for the moment. "That's me." She stood with her forehead against cool moist brick.

Neji had considered himself a bird in a cage. That was back when he thought that everyone had a Destiny they couldn't escape. That was before Naruto had stood up to him during a fight he shouldn't have been able to win. That was when her cousin lost his match, but ended up the tournament's biggest winner in his own way.

Hinata looked up at the night sky, as if she might see someone or something there that could tell her why things happen the way they do. But, as expected, the clouds had no better insight than she did. All she could see was the irony. Neji had gone out to defeat Naruto… mocking him… even threatening to kill him if he didn't back down. Naruto ended up releasing him from his self-imposed bonds, and had helped him build a bridge between the Branch and Main families. She on the other hand had gone to comfort Naruto… wanting to be near him… hoping that he would see her as someone worthy of caring for. And for her efforts, she felt wrapped in pain and despair, standing on a bridge that went nowhere. She was a broken winged bird with no place to fly. A cage would have been heaven by comparison.

'_Life gives every bird its food, but It does not throw it into its nest.'_

"I know that," Hinata whispered. She swallowed hard and told herself 'enough about birds already!' Just the same, the saying struck a raw nerve. She had spent too many passive nights dreaming, fantasizing, or waiting for some kind of miracle to find her. Maybe Naruto will think _this. _Maybe Naruto will notice _that. _Maybe Naruto would do something or another. Maybe… maybe… maybe.

Shivering, she tried to will herself entirely sober. No such luck. Only time would take care of that. But, her trembling didn't come solely from the chill night air. Tipsy, she lacked the ability to lie to herself or hide from the truth. In the past, she promised she would be proud of herself just for trying, if ever she worked up enough courage to take even the smallest step. As feeble as her first attempt had been, at least it had been an attempt. But, she saw no reason to feel proud. No. If anything, she felt devastated. Maybe it was better to realize the truth, rather than getting false hopes from wishing and praying.

Hinata tugged at her hair. Her thoughts were so convoluted. She felt as if she were repeating painful and caustic points over and over, in one fashion or another. There was little doubt… she wouldn't get any sleep tonight. She probably wouldn't have a peaceful night's rest for weeks. Or months. Possibly years.

"It's not enough to aim…." That was something that Kurenai had told her and her teammates on numerous occasions. "You must hit…." That held true in practice. In combat. And, in everyday life. She had tried. But, trying wasn't good enough. Some people were simply better ninjas than others. Similarly, it seemed that some girls must be better than others.

'_Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.'_

That worked for Naruto.

Again, it was one of the reasons she admired him so much. It was why she had called him a 'proud failure.' But, it was becoming more painfully obvious by the moment that she was not Naruto. Maybe she was nothing like him. Sure, she had adopted his 'My Ninja Way' manner of speech. Yes, she had used him as her impetus to try harder and train more seriously. But, she had to wonder, would she be able to continue the same way, now that the foundation she had built everything on was crumbling? She hadn't built a house of stone or even wood. She had built a house of cards! She clenched her fists, trying to drive out such defeatist thinking.

Maybe she would rise up from all this, like a phoenix from the ashes, after her whole world burned itself down to the ground. Maybe she would surprise herself, finding a courage that she never knew existed. Maybe. But, not now. Not tonight. The loss seemed too big. The agony felt too fresh. All she could do now was get as far away from Naruto as possible. 

A loud peal of thunder rumbled across the night. The rain began to pick up. Looking around her, she saw a number of couples hurrying along their way, huddled under umbrellas, or holding coats and other items over their heads.

She didn't want to be seen, in case anybody in those groups might recognize her.

Waiting in the shadows in the mouth of that alley, until all of the happy group had passed her by, she was struck by a mental image. Her coat. Her expensive new coat. It was still hanging on a hook at Inari's.

_There was no way she would go back for it tonight._

"I was so stupid. Why did I go in the first place…." She just couldn't let go of it. It was almost as if she felt some need to punish herself, either for her failure tonight, or for being someone that Naruto couldn't care about. No. She hated herself for all the wrong reasons. She was angry because she had shattered that cozy little fantasy world, as pathetic as it was. "But… it… I _had_ to…."

Hinata bit her lip, making a squeaking noise when she nipped too hard. She couldn't blame herself. Not if she thought rationally. Her feelings had crested, and she had needed something more than diaries and daydreams. Love itself can't feed on indifference. It needs to be wanted. Like a lamp, it needs to find fuel from someone else's heart, or its flame will burn low and go out.

"Naruto-kun…." Hinata hung her head again, letting the tears fall. No doubt, she would have numerous moments like this over the next few days, where images of him would flash before her eyes. Naruto failing at Henge. Naruto showing off for the other indifferent students. Naruto heading off to fight Neji. Naruto returning to the village. Naruto in that bar. "Why…."

She had been honest. She had been who she was. She had never once tried to pretend to be something that might want. Her eyes went wide for a moment, remembering her mental encounter with the shoulder devil… its suggestions… and her brief try at flirting. Her face grew warm. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, she steadied herself by thinking that it had been Hyuuga Hinata doing somewhat risqué, not her pretending to be some other type of girl. There really wasn't anything to be ashamed of. That is, unless someone in the establishment had recognized her, and felt compelled to tell her father what she had done.

"A least…." She sniffed, and then began to move out towards the well-lighted street. "…At least Naruto didn't notice…." She has been upset by his obtuseness earlier. Maybe it was for the better! She might never be able to show her face amongst their friends again, if he had taken note of her coquettishness and told the gory details to Shino or Kiba. "I don't know _why_ I thought he might…." Now the emotion that flared up was anger, something she rarely found herself feeling. Anger and a touch of resentment.

She wanted to be loved for who she was. That was only fair, since she was willing to love Naruto warts and all. She tried to smile at her unintentional joke, seeing how the village's noisiest and most unpredictable ninja had a bond with toads; but, there was no spark left inside her.

It was hard, thinking how other people acted, and what they got as a result. So many people cared about others, only as far as they could get something from them. Some tried to change other persons, hoping to make them into something they want. Why did so many people like that seem happy? Why was she standing in the dark, dripping with rainwater, miserable?

"If only he would…." She shook her head. She was about to bargain with Fate, promising anything and everything, if only she could have her heart's desire. Denial wouldn't help. Neither would bargaining.

She started off again by walking, moving from dark spot to dark spot. As the crowds grew thinner the farther she got from the dance venue, she picked up her pace, jogging. Before she knew it, she was running, faster and faster, not sure why she was doing so. In a few minutes, she would reach Kurenai's home. She'd be OK there. She knew she would.

_Wait._

She was not the only one running.

There was someone following after her. She knew that, because she took a number of sudden detours, and the person she sense behind her made the same exact moves.

Who was it? What did he or she want?

It couldn't be Kurenai, _could_ it? Might Shino have placed a female bug on her again? Had Kiba and Akamaru become worried about her? She swallowed hard. It couldn't be an enemy in Konoha, right? There was no reason to given into wild fears, was there? It was not going to be a Cloud ninja come to attempt another kidnapping!

She slowed a moment. Accessing Byakuga, she tried to make sense of the findings at the fringe of her talent.

Oh no! That was the _last_ person it should be!

Naruto.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x**

Naruto was not always at his best when thinking.

That was a given. It wasn't that he was stupid. Not really. He rarely took time to think things through to their completion.

Furthermore, he did not usually come up with his best ideas for his own sake. Time and time again, his cleverest tricks… his bravest stands… his boldest actions… came to light when he was fighting for the benefit of another individual. Someone close to him. A precious person.

His teammates were his precious people. So were his friends. The last thing he would ever want to do is hurt one of them. He would rather take all of the pain upon himself. So, when his heart spoke, he listened.

Naruto was clearly drunk. The demon fox could only do so much. But, wrapped up in his pity as he might be, he wasn't so drunk that he couldn't realize that Hinata must be hurting, to run off the way she did. She must have been upset by something, to drink the so much. Near the end, she had matched him glass for glass. It had been irresponsible for him to put his own pain first. He should find out what was bothering her.

Maybe he could help her. Who knows? In doing so, hew might be able to distract himself, and find a better way to approach his own loss. Maybe. There was only one way to find out.

Worried as he was, he actually turned down a number of free drinks as he gathred up his nelongings. His level of concern grew when he saw that Hinata had run off without her coat. She must really be hurting! And, it would get nasty outside, if the flickering lights were an indication that a storm was moving in, rather than an unpaid electric bill or incandescent bulbs going bad. Suddenly feeling a burst of zeal and a sense of purpose, he wobbled to the door, overpaid his bar tab, and shouted out that he would track her down.

A roar from the patrons surrounded him, as he fumbled at the door handle. Some had grown to like the chatty ninja. Others were happy to see him leave.

Stepping outside, he found out there was a storm brewing, alright. His first clew was the sideways rain, courtesy of strong gusting wind. If that wasn't enough to sink past his drunken haze, the great zig-zagging bolts of lightning striking the distant hillside would have been. Soon, the streets wouldn't be fit for man or beast.

"This is the kind of storm that brings hail," Naruto said, sniffing the air. "The big kind!" He had better catch up to Hinata fast. She might need to hold her coat up over her head, to shield herself from falling ice.

Running, he slid to a stop after a couple of blocks, his keen eyes catching sight of something. There. In that small circle of light painting the cobblestones under the nearest street lamp. Two stick like objects.

_High heels._

Had Hinata been in some kind of struggle? Probably not, since there were a fair number of people out tonight, and the streets were patrolled. And with gentle Fist and Kaiten, she would be the match for any civilian guys who might be feeling their oats. No shinobi would bother her. At least, no one from this village.

"I shouldn't assume _anything_," he stated, running again, making it a point to double his speed. Unfortunately, the sound of the wind and distant thunder made it difficult if not impossible to hear signs of a fight. "I may need a bit of your chakra here, stupid fox!" He frowned. The image he got was one of Kyubi rolled up like a dog in front of a fireplace. Stupid drunken fleabag!

"**Yo!" **That voice was familiar. Where had it come from. **"Naruto!" **Over there. Standing on top of the next street lamp. It was Kakashi. Maybe he had seen Hinata!

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto wondered what the Copy Ninja was doing up there? It wasn't all that uncommon to find him in places like that on a sunny afternoon… but in the midst of a growing storm? Was he looking for someone in particular? "Have you seen Hianta recently?" He felt antsy. He couldn't spend much time standing idle if his old teacher had no news for him.

"Yes, I did. That's why I stopped you." Kakshi looked Naruto up and down. His eyes lingered on the coat in Naruto's hand. He didn't mention that he was doing a favor for Kurenai, who had stayed at the dance longer than her condition warranted. She had been nervously waiting for Hinata to return from the bathroom, not knowing she had snuck out the back.

"Was she alright?" Naruto felt his pulse speed up. "Did it look like someone did something to her?"

"Funny you should mention that," Kakashi replied. "I was about to ask you the same question." He sounded nonchalant, but Naruto instinctively knew that the jounin was taking the current situation very seriously. Just what did he suspect? Him? Did his mentor think hat he had done something to Hinata?

"Sensei?" Naruto moved one foot back and forth. Kakashi noted that, then sighed.

"She looked very upset." Kakashi jumped down from his perch. He studied the younger man's face with his normal exposed eye. "I was concerned that someone had treated her… _inappropriately…" _The way the masked shinobi spoke that word had the hairs on Naruto's neck standing up.

"No… Kakashi-sensei… not me." Naruto held up his hands while he shook his head. "I would never treat her that way! I wouldn't let anyone treat a girl thatway."

"I figured that much. You look anxious to help her. And you have her coat." Kakashi seemed nonplussed as the rain increased. "But… I heard her mention your name as she passed by… unaware of my presence." That was as much a question as an observation.

"My name?" Naruto blinked rapidly. Why had Hinata called out his name? "That doesn't…." He shrugged. At the older ninja's request, he gave a brief recap of the time he had spent with the fleeing girl.

"You mentioned Sakura quite often, I assume." Kakashi ran a hand through his wet hair, and then flicked the water from his hand.

"Yes, that's why I was at Inari's in the first place." Naruto knew that his mentor was well aware of the screwed up dynamics of his team.

"And you _really_ have no idea why the Hyuuga girl is upset…" The Copy Ninja shook his head. "…After spending almost the whole time talking about Sakura…."

"No. None." Naruto rubbed his nose, annoyed by the way his hair felt plastered to his head, " _Should_ I?" He was sorely puzzled.

"Yes. By now, you should. You are no more observant now, than you were the day I tied you to that post." Kakashi sighed, thinking about the bell test. Did Naruto have the right stuff to be Hokage some day? He couldn't afford to be too naïve, not even where personal matters were concerned. "I don't know why I should have expected otherwise. That was _my_ fault, I suppose."

"Well…are you going to _tell_ me?" Naruto's voice went up an octave or two. He clenched his hands into fists. He did not like it when anyone implied that he was dense, not even Kakashi-sensei. "I don't have a lot of time, you know…." At this rate, he might never catch up. Hinata would reach home, or meet up with the other girls. But, that was OK, wasn't it? He could always give her the coat some other time.

No. It felt as if he had left a mission unfinished. Well. More than that. It almost felt as if he had left a comrade behind.

"No. I don't think I will. This is something you need to find out for yourself…." Kakashi held up a hand, snuffing out Naruto's rebuttal before it began. "… Or hear from _her_. I know that Jiraiya has taught you the importance of learning things on your own, back when he taught you Rasengan." He began walking away, waving his hand. Smiling under his mask, he new just the right task to get the other ninja to give his best. "I wouldn't have had to tell Sasuke…." With that, he flashed from view.

The drink was still strong in Naruto. But, when sober, he still hated that kind of comparison. It used to frustrated him to no end. "Why don't you just come out and call me an idiot or something?" Naruto put his hands on his hips. There was no reply. He frowned, thinking himself an idiot for still standing there.

He began running again. He'd show Kakashi-sensei. It was time to make use of his Swiss Army Knife jutsu, the one that he used for so many different purposes.

"Kage Bunshin…many clones!"

Suddenly, following a soft noise and rolling mushroom clouds of smoke, there was a whole street full of Narutos. True to the jutsu's power of replication, they were _all_ rather tipsy. Some ran into lamp posts. Others tripped, causing a domino-like chain reaction. A few followed copies… that followed copies …that followed them.

The real Naruto watched as some groups ran in circles. "_**IDIOTS!**_" He shouted, and then smacked his head. He had enjoyed the luxury of ample time, getting used to the effects of the Sake he drank gradually, with the help of the demon sealed behind his navel. The copies were dealing with things all at once, de novo.

Fortunately, the shadow clones adjusted quickly as Naruto called out orders and acted as the field general. Soon, there were Narutos running down every street…looking in every open building…and checking down every alley, covered walkway, and palisade. Eventually, one of the clones stumbled upon Hinata's whereabouts. It immediately reported back to Naruto.

"Ha! Let's see an idiot do _that!" _Naruto posed, flexing his muscles. The clone popped out of existence before its creator asked for the girl's location. "Shit!" He stood there in the rain, cursing for all he was worth. Maybe he really _was_ a moron.

Fortunately, another clone came with a similar report. Naruto asked for the information immediately this time.

As a particularly strong burst of thunder rattled the shutters on a nearby building, the young chuunin took off with a vengeance. Angry at Kakashi's attitude, and annoyed at his performance in a semi-inebriated state, he had grown claws and fangs again. But, the transformation brought with it keener senses.

_That would help._

He covered ground at an amazing pace. Soon enough, he had picked up Hinata's scent in one of the alleys she had been standing in. Unconcerned about appearances, he took off running on all fours. Speeding along with only one thought in mind, he bowled over a number of people with umbrellas, before taking an amazing leap over a group of traveling monks.

One of the monks looking at his fellows, pulled a small flask of spirits out from under his habit, then tossed it into a nearby garbage receptacle. The others all followed suit. They thought they must have been seeing things.

"There!" Naruto caught sight of Hinata. He called forth a fresh group of bunshin.

She was running. Why? There was no one else around.

Naruto took to sprinting on two legs again. He fought to control his emotions and regain his normal form. This wasn't a fight against a curse seal enhanced Sasuke at the Valley of the End. This wasn't a battle against Orochimaru and Kabuto at their headquarters.

"Damn!" Those memories only had his fangs growing longer. "Calm down, Naruto. Calm down…." He wasn't there to fight Hinata. He was there to help her.

Closing the gap between the two of them, he remembered a debt that he owed her.

Back when he had trained so long and vigorously with Jiraiya, learning to control Nine Tail's chakra, he had found himself losing some of his usual confidence, as the time for his battle with Neji approached.

What good was it learning how to do a summoning? He should have learned some powerful jutsus useful in one-on-one combat! Over and over again, he had imagined himself biting his thumb, smiling his arrogant smile, saying something dramatic to Neji and the crowd, and then slamming his hand down…only to see a tadpole flopping around on the arena floor! The crowd wouldn't care if it had two, four, or no legs!

But, passing through the old training area… feeling a strong sense of nostalgia… he had come across Hinata. In contrast to his usual false bravado, he had admitted to her that he wasn't as strong as he pretended. He had been losing confidence at an exponential rate.

The normally quiet girl told him that she took inspiration from him. She told him that he had true strength. When she was done talking, he somehow felt energized again. Eventually, he had faced Neji and won.

So, he owed Hinata a lot for that. His confidence had begun snowballing after that victory. He had also helped Neji make a dramatic change in life. That wouldn't have happened without Hinata's small but important contribution.

If she was hurting, he would do his best to help her.

It was his Ninja Way.

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

Hinata ran.

She had no choice but to run into the wind, which had picked up considerably.

Small bits of sleet struck her in the face, making her close her eyes now and then. That may have been the cause of her fall.

Not seeing a protruding joint in the cement sidewalk she was running on, she tripped over it and took a hard spill. She tumbled onto the patio area of a café that had closed for the night. A number of iron café chairs were bowled over. Table umbrellas stood askew. There was no one nearby to offer assistance.

"Aieee…." Hinata winced. Her foot hurt. So did her shoulder. She had felt her clothing tear in a number of spots. "I must have done something bad, to deserve all this." She picked herself up and tried to maintain her composure.

She checked herself out more thoroughly. She had twisted an ankle. And, there was a long tear in her stocking, exposing a nasty friction burn. But, there was no time to just sit there. Naruto was getting close.

_Much too close._

Thunder struck again, booming across the darkened stretch of street. The lightning strikes were much closer now. As soon as the one rumbling shot ceased, another took its place.

Up and down the street, people whistled to call their pets home. Storm windows came down here and there, and people struggled to close their shutters. Strange halos of light surrounded each of the street lamps.

As she began running again, pain shooting up one leg, Hinata saw other people ducking into doorways and under awnings. They were smart. None of them were not going to challenge the weather. She had little choice now.

There was no way she wanted to talk to Naruto. What good could it possibly do her? How could it change anything for the better?

'_When the wine is in, the wit is out.'_

Why did she think that? Sure, her judgment might be a bit skewed. But, this was not the time or the place to talk to him. She didn't owe him an explanation, _did_ she? And, even if he tried to explain his actions, that wouldn't magically make her someone he could like. What had she been thinking, earlier? Heartbroken people don't suddenly change who they care about, no matter how much the other person cares for them. This wasn't a story book or one of those ridiculous soap operas!

"I hate clowns!" Hinata sensed that there was more than one Naruto following her. She bit her lip. She had meant to say something else, even though she really did have a powerful aversion to circus performers. "Clones… I meant _clones_…." She would never drink again!

_There were a lot of things she would never do again._

"Oh!" Her bad ankle gave, and she found herself falling again. One hand dragged along the roughened street surface. Her blouse tore along the hem. One shoe had fallen off and was pirouetting perilously close to the lip of a storm gutter.

Hinata grew even more disgusted with herself. She was a seasoned ninja now. Why was she letting her emotions get in the way of her attention and physical performance? The only way things could be worse was if Naruto was there right now, watching her shameful performance, taking in her ragged look.

'_Speak of the devil and he appears.'_

"The boy's here," a tiny voice said in Hinata's ear. It was a devil alright, just not the one she meant. "It would have been easier if you stayed at the bar and unbuttoned a few buttons." The Shoulder Devil kissed his fingertips. "It gets them every time."

"Hurry," another voice said. The Shoulder Angel. "Don't let him see you crying." She paused, after taking out a small parasol, that quickly blew away in the wind. "You could always tell him the truth you know. The truth will set you free."

"She doesn't need any more stupid sayings," the devil asserted, pushing the angel off of Hinata. He fell too when his imaginary adversary snared his ankle with the hook of her fancy umbrella.

Willing away the pain, Hinata gathered her remaining strength. She began sprinting as fast as her body would allow, as if she were running from a massed enemy, with the safety of friendly lines only a few blocks away.

Naruto blocked her path.

She turned to run in another direction. He blocked her path again.

There! There is an opening over there! But, not for long. Naruto swiftly ran to that spot as well, getting there first.

"He's so fast. It's almost as if… there……are…more than one…." Hinata smacked herself in the forehead. Get a grip, girl! Of _course _there are more than one. The clones. You knew that. She closed her eyes, and sighed deep and long. "Please… Naruto…." It took an effort, but she left off the '-kun'. "…Leave me alone." Hinata had tried to sound stern, but sounded tragically hurt. Her shoulders slumped. The events of that evening were all weighing so heavily on her.

"You forgot your coat." As the clones disappeared in puffs of smoke, Naruto walked up and held out Hinata's coat. "And, its cold out." His mouth fell open when he saw the condition of her clothing. "You'll… well…. I didn't want you to get sick or something…." The two of them stood there, raining falling heavily now, as if people above the clouds were kicking over an infinite row of buckets.

"Ummm…. I…." Suddenly, Hinata found herself reduced to her timid school girl routine again. She wanted to scream. What was with her?

Wait. Was that the only reason he had run her down? Her coat? He was being considerate? In the middle of the storm swept street, he had finally begun caring how she felt. After all she'd put herself through? At his prompting!

"Ha…" Hinata couldn't help herself. She began laughing inappropriately. "Ha ha…." It really wasn't funny, but her actions weren't voluntary at the moment. "_Now_ you decide to notice something…." Still, deep inside, she felt touched, knowing that Naruto had been worrying about her. Even swimming in the bottle of a glass, his heart on his sleeve for everyone to see, he had made it a point to look out for one of his friends. He was so very clueless sometimes; but, when he had someone else to focus on, he was one of the kindest and most generous people that she knew.

"Hinata, you're _hurt!" _Naruto noticed the blood running down her leg. "Did someone do this too you?" His voice was fierce. "If someone _did_, let me know who…."

"I fell," Hinata admitted, feeling like the biggest klutz alive. "I fell down a number of times." She gasped, seeing the red streaks washing down her leg. "It was… it's all… it's _my _fault." She felt the need to come clean welling up in her heart again. The pressure was too great to resist. "It's _all_ my fault. Tonight… I… at the bar… I came to…." A confession rushed to her lips.

"You always _were_ a bit clumsy, Hinata." Naruto chuckled and then stopped, hearing Hinata's gasp of pain when she moved her leg. "Here…I have something else to return."

He took the jar of ointment out of his pocket. "Maybe this would be a good time for me to return another favor." He though back to his match against Kiba, the one he had won with a fart. Hinata had offered him salve after that fight, even though he had just defeated her teammate. Unscrewing the jar, he leaned over to keep the contents out of the rain. "Here…." He took a large dollop of medicinal cream onto his fingertips.

"You don't have to…." Hinata shook her head. She couldn't let this distract her. "I was trying to say…."

"Don't be stupid," Naruto asserted. "You need help. You don't have to tell me that. I can see for myself." He tried to be gently, rubbing the salve onto Hinata's wounds. He hoped the rain wouldn't simply wash it away. Should he take of his pants and give them to her to wear? "Let me do this for you. Next time, you shouldn't go running off in the dark. You could have shared your problems with me. I would have listened."

"…." That claim left Hinata speechless for a moment. "I… you… _you…._" She was caught between conflicting emotions. Naruto's statement had her about ready to explode.

But, she had been shocked when his put his hands on her leg. Shocked and confused. Her face was warm. Was she blushing? Luckily, Naruto wouldn't be able to tell.

"I know you would do the same," Naruto continued. "You've _always_ seemed to be ready to help when I needed it." He swallowed hard when a series of lightning flashes illuminated the area. He had gotten a very good view of Hinata's leg all the way up. The tear in her skirt was placed just right. "Uhhh…."

'Yes. That's because I've always been in love with you….' It was the perfect opening to say that. No one could have gifted her with a better opportunity. Still, like it was preordained, Hinata found her tongue tied in knots. "Yes… owww… wait…please, don't stop. I can handle a lot of pain…." Hinata closed her eyes. That was an understatement.

"Well, _that's_ done." Naruto finally finished his ministrations on the worst of the visible injuries.. He noticed Hinata opening and closing one hand. "Here, let me see." He took her hand in his.

Hinata swallowed. She looked down at their hands. Hers seemed so small. Even though she had grown a great deal. His hands had gotten so much bigger. They were roughed by work and training she could only imagine.

For someone who could barely stay still, or keep his mouth from moving, he was oddly gentle and patient then, sitting out in the rain, his mane-like hair flat against his head and neck. When he had applied salve to her newest wound, he asked her if anything else hurt.

_Her answer came before she had time to think._

"M-…M-…My heart…." Immediately, she cringed. She felt frantic, as if she needed to run again. Awkwardly, she stood up. She tripped when her ankle gave way again.Moving quickly, Naruto caught her.

"Hey, slow _down,_ Hinata…." Naruto said. "You shouldn't even be walking on something like that."

Hinata felt Naruto's arms around her. He was so strong. She closed her eyes. She started slipping into a day dream, but caught herself. The arms were real enough. But, the body attached to them didn't care about her. Naruto was interested in someone else. His arms were only there to support her.

Unable to hold back her emotions any more, she began sobbing again. Her hands were trapped against her chest, but she made no move to put them around Naruto. He wouldn't understand. And, it wouldn't make any difference.

"Uhhh… hey… Hinata… what's…." Able-bodied and resourceful in battle, Naruto was at a total loss. He had no idea what to do when Hinata threw herself against him and cried like this.

"I'm s-s-sorry, N-N-Naruto-kun… I'm _so _very s-s-sorry…." Hinata's speech came out in stilted gasps. "I should be strong like you... I should be a… a… a proud failure…." She trembled, embarrassed and ashamed at her actions. "I have… I have a… I have a crush on…."

"Ahhh!" Naruto's eyes opened wider. "_Now_ I understand!"

Hinata suddenly stopped sobbing. Her whole body twitched. She looked up into Naruto's eyes. "Y-Y-You _do_… N-N-Naruto-kun….."

"Sure! It doesn't take Uzumaki Naruto too long to catch on!" Naruto stepped back from Hinata and hooked a thumb in his belt loop. "You should know _that_ by now." He hooked her arm around his shoulder. It was time to get out of the rain.

Hinata just stared, her mouth open. Then, she shook her head. "Then… I… you know that I…."

"You have a crush on someone. Yes. I know." Naruto nodded his head. He found himself smiling, despite his own sorrows. "That's what you said, _right?" _ He nodded his head, and started them both walking. "I know how mixed up that can make someone. Believe it!"

Hinata saw the smile. He wasn't upset with her? He wasn't disgusted, annoyed, or amused? What was he thinking? Could everything she have gone through tonight have been for a reason? Had it all brought them to this one place and time?

'_The heart has its reasons that reason knows nothing of_.'

Her lips parted slightly, despite the pain. Both of her hands were clenched tightly. Her breathing came quicker and quicker. She drank in every feature of his face, when a flash of lightning painted the two of them with a yellow-white actinic glare. "Naruto-kun, I…." Finally. Finally finally finally.

"So," Naruto said, steering Hinata towards a large awning. "Tell me who the lucky guy is." Naruto cocked his head, a sly look on his face. "I promise I won't clue him in, if you don't want me to."

Hinata sat down hard, right in the middle of the only puddle within twenty paces. She hung her head. Was Fate mocking her?

"Hey… Hinata… don't do that!" Hinata lifted the stunned girl out of her watery seat. "You don't have to be all embarrassed or anything." He wondered why she wasn't trying to get to her feet. Could she be that shy? Boy, and he had thought that _he_ was bad! "_Geee-ee-ez_… you heard me moaning and cursing for half the night… compared to that, you have nothing to be ashamed of…." Seeing that she wasn't budging, he decided to sit next to her in the middle of the slick wet street.

Hinata couldn't speak. She couldn't even think or reason at that moment. It felt as if she had been transported to some strange and distant dimension.

"Let's see if I can guess…." Naruto laughed. Maybe a little humor would shake the girl from her funk. "It shouldn't be too hard." he started off by running through the things he knew for certain. "I had a crush on Sakura. She has a crush on Sasuke. Sasuke has a crush on himself…." That wasn't entirely fair; but, so what! "Neji and Ten Ten are sneaking around like no one knows what's going on. Ino wants Shikamaru. So does Temari. He doesn't want to be bothered." He put a strong emphasis on that last word. "Choji likes Ino. Lee likes Sakura… who gets freaked out anytime he sees him getting googly-eyed." He laughed. "I doubt it would be Shino. He's a nice guy and everything… but… you now…."

Hinata just sat there, head bowed. She knew that Naruto's laughter was good-spirited, and wasn't even aimed at her. Just the same, she put a hand over her heart. Her chest felt tight.

"So… if it's not Shino…." Naruto rested his chin on his fist for a moment, oblivious to the way that rivulets were running into the openings of both pants legs. "Then-n-n…." He tried to snap his fingers. They were too wet. "That leaves Kiba." He grinned. "Unless you are into four legged guys. Akamaru. Kinky." He had hoped to get some kind of reaction out of Hinata. He failed.

Hinata stood up. Naruto joined her.

"Well, he's certainly the popular choice this season, _isn't_ he." Naruto continued with his off-the-mark rambling. "No wonder you're upset. There's one hell of a waiting line." He felt his heart stumble. The good cheer left his voice. "Oh. Sorry. I get it. He probably just sees you as a friend."

Her legs were trembling, but Hinata was able to bring herself under control. Uncharacteristically, she began to get angry again. But, this time the anger felt good. It seemed right.

"I'm surprised that you didn't take him up on his offer then…." Naruto said sadly. He would have gone to the dance with Sakura, even if he knew she hadn't been doing it of her own accord. "…Even thought Kuernai was meddling. I guess you want someone to like you for who you _are, _huh?"

"_Baka!_" Hinata slapped Naruto. Hard. Right across the cheek. "You are so _stupid!" _

She bounced the ointment jar off of his chest, and then began running again.

Naruto stood watching.


	5. Two, coming together

Naruto put his hand to his face.

It hurt! Hinata certainly packed quite a punch.

Luckily, she had simply slapped him. Had she used Taijutsu, he might need to have his jaw reset.

"What brought _that_ on?" He asked himself, oblivious to a number of people standing at the periphery, whispering behind their hands. Where had all of themcome from? Had the sight of two teenagers sitting in the middle of the road been such a compelling spectacle? At night? In the dark? During a growing squall?

A small dog ran out of the shadows to bark at him.

"What, _you_ too?" Naruto tried to shoe the mutt away, but the tenacious terrier-mix grabbed hold of his pants cuff and started a forceful tug-of-war. Its loud insistent growls attracted a larger crowd. At least the onlookers were all wise enough to find places out of the rain.

He tried to focus his thoughts on Hinata, not the feisty dog or the gossiping gawkers. Was it because he had laughed? Did she think that he was belittling her problems? He would _never_ do that!

_She didn't make light of his problems while they were talking at the pub._

"I'm going to apologize. Alright?" He asked his question to the dog. The small mutt sneezed a couple of times, barked once more, and then disappeared from whence he came.

Yes. An apology. That would be the right thing to do.

"_**WHAT?**__" _Naruto shouted, hands on his hips, seeing the crowd of people pointing at him. Not a paranoid person most of the time, he couldn't help but wonder why everyone was looking at him. Was it the obvious? Or, did it have something to do with his being Jinchuriiki? Images came to mind, ones from his childhood. Tall towering adults looming over him, treating him in ways he didn't understand.

"That was quite a slap!" One man said to his date.

"He probably deserved it," the woman answered. She didn't add 'men are pigs,' but her tone of voice left little to the imagination.

"Great," Naruto muttered under his breath. He saved the village from Shukaku, but no one heard about it. He helped bring back Tsunade, but never publicly got any credit. He routinely lead his team on a number of crucial missions, saving the day each time. Nada. Nothing. Zilch.

_But, one slap, and he's a celebrity._

At least they were simply treating him like any normal guy getting slapped by a girl. That much was a relief. Just the same, he felt like he was being picked on again.

"Thank you… you've all been such a fine audience…." In his alcohol influenced condition, Naruto came close to mooning them all. _Real_ close. But, instead, he ran after Hinata to the sound of mocking applause.

A few small pieces of hail hit him as he picked up speed, jumping from ledge to ledge, balcony to balcony, and rooftop to roof top. Soon, she was leaping from tree to tree, passing into one of the wooded areas. The precipitation was growing more hazardous. One jagged piece of ice drew blood along his cheek. He had to find her!

She couldn't be moving all that quickly.

There!

That running form. It had to be Hinata. Getting closer, he was certain that it was her.

Taking to the ground again, he decided to repeat his earlier trick. She would be easier to stop if she was surrounded. Luckily, he had plenty of chakra left. Clones ran off in various directions, making a coordinated effort to cover any direction she might run off in.

"**HI**… **NA-A-A-A**… **TA-A-A-A-A**…."

He shouted as he ran, having difficulty hearing his own voice against the thunder, wind, and rustling leaves. Wow! The heavy storm had become savage in the blink of an eye. He really had reason to worry about both their safety now.

"_**WA-A-A-A-A-I-T**_…."

She was having a tough go of it. Naruto felt terrible, just watching her. He swore when she fell again. Unless she put up a fight against her temporary pursuers, this hunt should come to an end soon.

"**HINATA**…** STOP!**"

The clones had her surrounded. But, Hinata was even more upset than the slap had suggested. Despite how bad her wounds must still be hurting, the white-eyed girl performed _Kaiten_, destroying all of the bunshin within range. Breathing with some difficulty, she prepared to repeat that strategy, falling out of the spin when her ankle gave way.

"Hinata, stop… this is crazy…." Naruto appeared on the scene, close to the fleeing kunoichi. "You're _already_ hurt…you could end up in serious trouble…." He reached out and grabbed her arm. He _should_ have been ready for her response.

Two hands hit Naruto's chest. Hinata threw him a good distance with the not so Gentle Fist. Somersaulting, he was caught by a pair of the remaining clones. He was at serious risk from her as well as the weather.

"Just leave me alone!" Hinata said, surprised at the violence of her reaction. "You've done more than enough already." Using her newly learned Kishibari No Justsu, she created an illusion of a great tree surrounding Naruto, and then tried to sneak off into a dark and foreboding wooded area adjacent to the street.

She stopped.

Naruto stood right in front of her with his hand up. It had been a clone that she had performed the Genjutsu on.

"Hinata, I'm trying to help you…." Naruto set his shoulders, ready for any attack. He was taking a gamble, certain that Hinata wouldn't go as far as hurting him severely.

"Go help Sakura. She wants your help just as much as I do!" Hinata began wrapping an explosive kunei, but stopped. What was she _doing?_ This was Naruto. This was a fellow Leaf shinobi. She had gotten too caught up in the skirmish.

Naruto stuck out his lower lip. His eyes narrowed. He was angry now. "I wasn't making fun of you. Why were you trying to hurt me?" He put his hands on his hips. Despite his tone of voice, he had no hopes of looking stern, not with the water cascading off of the tip of his nose.

Hinata's mouth fell open. Suddenly, she felt hobbled by indecision. "I… _ummm_… but…." She shook her head. "I was not trying to… not really…."

"I never thought that you were that kind of person, Hinata." Naruto thumbed his nose. "What _happened_ to you?" At that moment, he wasn't able to put himself in Hinata's shoes, so to speak. He would never raise a finger against a friend, unless he needed to defend himself.

One particular word dictated Hinata's response. "Thought? Do you _ever_ think? Really?" Her nostrils actually flared. Usually, she was blind to Naruto's faults, or at least happy to overlook them. At that moment, however, his basic nature infuriated her. "What happened to me? Let me tell you…." Her anger began subsiding when it should have been peaking. Anger just wasn't her thingAnd that wasn't fair! Naruto deserved to be taken to task. Big time "If you had _bothered_ to think… even for a little bit… none of this would have happened!" She ran her hand over her skirt and flexed her hurt leg.

"I…." Naruto, to his credit, closed his mouth.

Hinata's will was crumbling again. She hurt. She was tired. Tears came to her eyes. She wasn't able to say anything more for a moment.

"Maybe I did talk too much about my own troubles tonight, Hinata. I apologize for that. I should have spent more time asking you about _yours." _Naruto spread his arms apart and took one step back. He wanted to tell her that it was stupid to stand out in the elements this way. But, somehow, it seemed more important to talk things out, before the moment was lost. Hinata didn't look at him. That had him stammering some, uncertain. "But I figured… _well_… I figured that… _you know_… if you really wanted to talk about it… you _would _have…" He put his hands on his hips, cocking his head.

"I… I didn't know how to start," Hinata said, closing her eyes when an especially strong gust of wind buffeted her. "I was afraid that you'd simply drive me away…." He set her jaw, speaking with a sudden bit of heat. "You didn't seem eager to listen to _anybody._"

"Well… I'm listening _now_…." Naruto meant that as an offer, hoping that Hinata would suggest they move things to a more suitable venue. She simply stood there, as if she were bonded to the very earth beneath her feet.

"I… I don't want to talk about it any more…." Hinata turned away from him, bringing her face out of the wind. "Especially not with _you_." She shivered when a number of rain-soaked leaves clung to her neck. "Nothing will make a difference…." She jumped when lightning struck a huge bough less than one hundred meters away. A resounding crashing sound followed as the heavy limb tore free and dug a deep furrow in the ground.

"Huh!" Naruto made a face. "That's certainly not the Hinata that _I_ remember. But, I guess a lot can happen in three years." He sounded a tad self righteous. That tone was not lost on Hinata.

"Yes, a lot can happen," Hinata admitted, realizing just how tall Naruto had grown. Short as she once was, she had still been taller than then him. "Or… a lot of things that could happen… never do…."She had to force herself to continue. It wasn't easy. She had already said in one night more than she usually said in a number of months. "A lot of dreams can die. A lot of hopes can disappear. All because some people don't know when to let go…." She looked him directly in the eyes. "…And, they can't see what's… right… under… their… nose…" She put her head in her hands. All of this emotional ping pong was giving her a headache.

Naruto scratched his chin. Just who was Hinata talking about? What exactly was she trying to say? "But… maybe… if you had just come out and spoken to him…." He figured that she must be talking about Kiba.

"He's an idiot," Hinata said, her anger flaring again. "He's so clueless." She shivered. It was growing colder. _**"**_Even though he is so generous… he can be so s-s-single-minded and _s-s_-self centered." She gave Naruto what she thought should be an obvious look. "He frustrates me to no end. I'm not the only one…"

"Kiba's a great guy." Naruto nodded his head. He pursed his lips. He had never really seen the other boy as particularly giving; but, Hinata would know him better than he did.

Hinata threw her hands up, pushed Naruto aside with her good hand, and then began walking away.

"Hinata… if you like… I will talk to him about it." Naruto followed after her. "But… you know…to be honest… _I don't _think you guys are right for each other."

Hinata stopped, and then turned. "I told you, this is _not_ about Kiba. How can you be so dense?" She refused to mention Naruto by name. If he hadn't figured it out by now, then he probably wouldn't care when he found out.

"But…." Naruto looked perplexed.

"This is just another painful thing in my life that I have to endure. I've been doing that for so long, wh-wh-why stop now?" She headed off again.

"Huh?" Naruto followed, a few paces back.

"You think I led some kind of f-fairy tale l-life, because I am the daughter of the Hyuuga c-clan leader? And because I have a Blood Limit gift?" Hinata's voice cracked. She began walking a little faster. A particularly bright flash of lightning left her vision a bit blurry.

"I… well… uhhh…" Naruto made up the lost ground.

"You _shouldn't_ have. There were enough clues there." Hinata nearly tripped again, but her vision cleared in time for her to step over a fallen branch. "Your pain was always obvious to me, even before I knew your biggest secret. All it took was someone who cared enough to look." Hinata sped up even more, wincing from the ache in her leg.

"But…." Naruto frowned, somewhat confused. Why did she stress the word 'cared' so strongly?

"Why couldn't you have looked at me the same way?" Hinata thought herself an idiot. She had chosen this direction to get away from Naruto. She had kept following this path because she had been preoccupied. But, what good was it doing her to move towards the practice fields and away from Kurenai's home? "Why didn't _anybody? _Was it because I was too plain? A… a… a d-d-dark w-w-w_eirdo?" _Hinata slipped again, but maintained her balance. "Maybe I shouldn't blame anyone else…."

"That's not…." Naruto was unable to finish.

"Not fair? That's right!" Hinata's voice nearly came out in a squeak. She felt her throat growing tight. "It w-w-wasn't. _Nothing_ was fair." Hinata's tears fell, lost in the steady rain.

"Hinata… what… how…" Naruto couldn't find the words he wanted.

"You heard a number of things about my clan from Neji." Hinata knew that for a fact. Neji and Naruto spoke on occasion, and her cousin had spoken about certain aspects during their chuunin exam match. "No doubt other people have told you things as well." She took a deep breath, hating to talk about the Branch families obligations towards the Main family. "My cousin told you how he was marked with the Bunke Juinjutsu, and how he was expected to watch over me when I was much younger. I was the heir." Hinata coughed. "_Was_…."

"Hinata… what…." Naruto hadn't really paid much attention to the Hyuuga clan, other than to vow to change things for the better when he was made Hoakge.

"Didn't you ever wonder why the heir to one of the most prestigious and powerful families in Konoha was allowed to train to be a ninja?" Hinata dodged a falling bird's nest. "Especially When her father was one of the most puissant fighters in the village, and was the best one to teach her the family's special techniques?" She trudged onward as best she could, moving forward since Naruto blocked the way back. "Didn't you notice my sister sitting in the place of privilege next to my father at the tournament?"

"Yes." Naruto wasn't sure where Hinata was going with all this. Was that why she was unhappy? Family matters? Why was she taking it out on him, then? "But… what…."

"Hanabi is the Heir. My _s-s_-sister." Hinata needed to talk about this subject, too. She wasn't purposefully skirted the whole issue with Naruto. "It made me sad. Even though I never really wanted to be Heir. You can't know how hard it is to have father who doesn't approve… who doesn't seem to _care_…." She shook off the hand that Naruto tried to put on her shoulder. "When my father saw that a girl seven years my younger showed greater aptitude than I did, he acted as a clan chief must, not how a father might. But, his words left no doubt about his disappointment in me. I overheard him speaking to Kurenai when she came to… c-c-collect… me." The word 'collect' made her think of people collecting garbage. The irony wasn't lost on her.

Naruto stopped a moment, the full impact of Hinata's words sinking in. Then he ran to catch up again. He had always wanted a father. Back before he knew who his sire had been, he had agonized over the possible identities of his parents. To him, that was terrible, not knowing who they were, and never getting to know them personally. In some ways, that was worse than the ordeal Sasuke suffered through, losing a mother and father who loved him, at the hands of his brother. But… up until now… he had never considered that having a father could be a painful thing.

"You did not wish to be a shinobi?" Naruto coughed when he inhaled too much water. That was another revelation. He had always assumed that any child would want to be shinobi if they could. "You didn't think you had the skills? It was all forced upon you?"

"No. I didn't," Hinata admitted, not caring whether or not that truth would lower her in Naruto's estimation. _"_I was wrong about my talents, just as my f-f-father was. But nobody could have possibly seen that at the time, because I didn't have the push I needed." Hinata stopped, and then looked at Naruto's face. She sighed when he showed no sudden understanding about her source of inspiration. "That came later." She reached out her hand, as if she wanted to touch his face. Instead, feeling a sharp pain, she took a few steps and leaned up against a gnarled lichen-covered tree. "It was _you_ who finally started me down the right path."

"Me?" Naruto stopped dead in his tracks. He paid no heed to the watery mud seeping past his sandals.

"Yes. _You, _Naruto-kun." Hinata's voice softened some. "I worked harder and harder, because of the way that _you_ fought to grow stronger. And because… because I…." Hinata shook her head and looked away.

"But your father _does_ love you, right? He brought you back into the house…" Naruto was too fixated on Hinata's family woes to catch the drift of her words.

"Love?" Hinata felt her heart flip flop some. "What kind of _love_ sends someone away, rather than suffering to keep her around in some lesser capacity? That's not love. That's pride. Some might call it clan honor… but…." She closed her eyes again, shaking her head. "How can _that_ be honorable?" She knew she was being overly dramatic, seeing that her father had been kinder to her lately. But, the past still carried too much weight.

"Hinata…." Naruto's heart was aching on her behalf, just hearing those words. She sounded so disconsolate, so down.

_She had every right to._

"You were the one who inspired me, Naruto-kun." This time, Hinata did gently touch Naruto, but on the hand, not the face. "You shouted for me to fight on… after Kiba had told me to quit, rather than face my Neji in the trials. You were the one who later brought about the change in my cousin, by standing up for me… by telling him what you believed in… and by defeating him. You were so special in my eyes…." Hinata didn't know if that 'were' was a slip of the tongue; a defensive choice of words; or a sign that she might change her point of view in the future.

Naruto swallowed hard. He wasn't used to anyone showing him that kind of praise. It was all so unfamiliar too him, that he didn't realize that Hinata was saying much more than her words implied.

"But… ummm… your mother…. your mother must love you. _Doesn't_ she?" Naruto stopped, wondering if he should say anything more. Maybe he should just let Hinata share what she was ready to share.

Hinata didn't answer for a while. Taking a few moments to wonder what she was still doing there… anywhere near Naruto… she realized just how much she wanted to talk about these things. Not just that. She wanted to speak about them with Naruto, despite everything that had happened that night. "My mother is no longer with us…."

"She's…." Naruto doubted that her mother would have run off and left her family, but stranger things have happened.

"Dead.Yes." Hinata nodded. She didn't want to think back to the days of her mothers demise. "She was my world. I wanted to be just like her, not like my father. Whenever I failed at my lessons, _she_ didn't scold me… send me to my room… or order my dinner withheld. She rubbed my head and sang to me"

"What happened… I mean…." Naruto didn't know how delicate a subject this still might be with Hinata.

"She died on the birthing bed, not too long after my sister was delivered. She lost far too much blood. The medical ninjas were otherwise occupied elsewhere." Hinata sighed. "While my father never blamed me for that ill fortune, he became colder after that. He became much more demanding."

"Why? That doesn't make sense!" Naruto felt angry. He hated injustice more than most things. He had stomached more of it than any one person ever should.

"I don't really know," Hinata said. "But… I do know one thing that later caused him to be resentful towards me…." She twiddled her fingers. "Hanabi didn't purposefully kill our mother, of course. But, her birth _was_ responsible. For her to be the one best suited to follow in his tradition… to one day take charge of the home that he and my mother had worked hard to run.…" She just shook her head. There were so many terrible twists she had been forced to deal with over the years. "His disappointment in me was magnified."

Hinata shook her head. She looked down at her torn skirt and her broken shoes. She felt her wet blouse clinging tightly to her chest and shoulders.

_What was she doing, standing out in the rain?_

Was she desperately hoping to hold onto her dreams just a little bit longer? Was she searching for an elusive bit of hope? Was she desperately looking for someone to finally understand her?

"Iwas the one kidnapped by a shinobi of the Cloud," Hinata mentioned, bringing up another chapter of her life that had long-reaching effects. "But, it was my uncle Hizashi… my father's twin… who paid the price to save Konoha from the threat of war." She felt a pang of sorrow for Neji. "The fact that Hizashi's son would prove to be more talented than me must have caused my father added shame. My uncle sacrificed himself to keep my father alive…to keep the Main family intact… for the future of the entire clan. And I… I couldn't… I couldn't even…."

"It's not always the talent you have…." Naruto thought back to his own experiences. Before learning Kage Bunshin from the pilfered scroll, he hadn't shown much talent for anything other than mischief and resentment. "…It's how you use it… and how hard you try…." He knew that kind of thing didn't matter in battle; but, even for shinobi, there was more to life than combat. "I would be happy to have your father fighting against an invading enemy… but I would never want him as part of my team…."

"I guess… part of what I'm trying to say…." Hinata felt a small surge of satisfaction. Naruto had implied that she was a good teammate. "Before I became a genin… before I was assigned to my team… I was a lot like you. We had a lot in common…." She could only imagine how hard it had been for a younger Naruto, facing the persecution of the villagers that saw him only as the Nine-Tailed fox.

Tired, hurting, and still feeling the effect of her binge drinking, Hinata was on the cusp of baring her heart completely. Opening her mouth, she steeled herself, ready to take the plunge. But, once again, Fate stood in her way.

The storm took a particularly nasty turn just then. It had long since gone from an inconvenience to a discomfort. Now, it was extremely dangerous.

Large groups of leaves and branches came crashing down from the tortured canopy above them. The reason for that was immediately apparent. Hailstones the size of pomegranates were falling heavy from the sky. Wherever they hit, they looked like exploding hand grenades, throwing small sharp shards of ice this way and that. Haku's jutsus had been gentle in comparison.

_A hit on the head from one of those…._

"Time to move. No more chit chat." Naruto took Hinata up in his arms. He began to run. Inspiration striking him, he decided on a destination.

"N-N-Naruto-kun… put me down… I'm not helpless…." Hinata squirmed in Naruto's grasp.

"No way! You're in danger. And, I won't allow that." Naruto's tone of voice clearly indicated that he was in no mood for an argument. "So… zip your lips… suck it up…and enjoy the ride!" He leaped over a low stone wall, taking a short-cut across the uneven ground rather than following the winding convoluted pathway. "I'm sorry if this makes your wounds hurt."

"I…." Hinata closed her eyes. Ice fragments covered her hair and slid down the back of her blouse. The racket caused by the hail was actually quite unnerving. She felt a strong sense of anticipation, almost as if she expected Naruto or herself to be struck by a deadly ball of ice at any moment.

"This might be scary…." Naruto concentrated chakra to the bottom of his boots, and then ran up along one tree for a stretch, until he could jump over a large outcropping of gneiss and quartzite. "Hold tight to me." They hit the ground hard, but the energetic chuunin was able to stay on his feet.

It was all like something out of a dream or nightmare for Hinata. She was in Naruto's arms. They were in great peril. Lightning flashed around her. The sounds were deafening. They dodged missiles and ran headlong into the darkness.

_In some strange way, she wished that it would never end._

Naruto stopped for a brief moment, his chest heaving. "Here. I should have done this before. Better do it while we still have time. I guess I'm just too stupid… had too much to drink… or both." He set Hinata down. He worked to take her coat off.

"Wh-Wh-What are you doing, Naruto-kun…." Hinata held her breath. He couldn't be thinking of doing anything fresh or worse, _could_ he?"

"Put this coat over your head, folded up. _Here_…." He slipped out of his coat. "I'll cover you with this." He bundled Hinata's head up as best he could.

"But… you need protection, too… and it's so cold…." Hinata wanted to face the same risk that he did.

"Quiet!" Naruto spoke loudly, causing Hinata to go silent by reflex. "You're such an idiot sometimes. I _do_ need some help in this, though. In case I go down, they should be able to get you to the place I chose before disappearing." With that, he created a huge number of clones.

Hinata looked on in admiration, her heart feeling as if it had doubled in size. But, that was _not _what she needed. All Naruto's heroism would do was to make her fall even more deeply in love with him. In fairy tales, the hero would always fall for the damsel in distress. But, this was no bedtime story.

"Keep a look out guys! If you see something coming our way, throw yourself in its path." Naruto directed the shadow clones. "If I go down hard, someone pick up the girl and take her to the old weapons storage shed. It's not too far up ahead, around the second or third bend. You won't be able to miss it. _Move out!"_ They all ran, dodging and weaving.

Clone after clone popped out of being, running out of chakra or getting struck by hailstones. Somehow, Hinata's and Naruto's own luck had held out.

"We… _might_… just… make… it…." Naruto stopped a moment, shifted Hinata from his arms, and then tossed her over one shoulder, freeing up a hand.

"N-N-Naruto-kun…." Hinata imagined herself a sack of potatoes blithely tossed over the boy's shoulder. That was hardly dignified… and it hurt.

"**No time to talk!"** Naruto began running as fast as he could. "Now… I'm going to let go… hold on to my neck…." He freed his second hand and began forming a powerful Rasengan, glad that he had learned to do it on his own without a bunshin's assistance. **"Keep your head down!"**

Up ahead, intermittently pinpointed by helpful lightning flashes, the squat round shape of the oldest of Konoha's weapons storage sheds loomed ominously. It had long been closed for renovations, but the work had been permanently delayed after the Sand and Sound had attacked the village. There had been too many other demands on the budget after _that_ battle.

_Naruto hoped beyond hope that it still wasn't being used to hold sharp and pointed objects._

Saying a quick prayer of deliverance as he ran down the final stretch, he brought his hand against the bolted double doors. At the last second, he noted a thick rusted chain and padlock.

The resultant spiral force tore through the oaken and metal aperture like it was cardboard. The remnants of the doors and chain flew so fast and with so much force, that they knocked the opposite doors clear off of their hinges. Naruto fell to his knees, breathing heavily. Carefully, he took the coat off of Hinata and helped ease her to the floor. He sat that way, gasping for air.

"H… Hin… _Hinata_…" He forced himself to speak. "Find some pieces to the door. And, any crates or wood you can find. We… we need… some light…." It wouldn't do them any good to sit near the open doors, hoping for sporadic light from lightning overhead. Not knowing what might be stored in the building, it could be dangerous looking for a place out of the wind.

"B-… B-… But Naruto-kun… you're hurt…." Hinata was standing now.

"We… we can… we can worry about that in a minute. Fire first… Naruto-kun second…OK?" Naruto felt a little woozy. That had taken more energy than he had intended. And, he had been struck pretty hard on the head by something. The alcohol remaining in his system wasn't helping at the moment, either.

Hinata stumbled across the barely lit areas of the main room, taking advantage of the intermittent flashes of light. Not willing to leave Naruto alone too long, in case he was deliberately downplaying his injuries, she shuffled around in a search for suitable items.

Returning, she placed various fragments of wood and a discarded woolen sack on the floor, out of the cross draft.

"Alright… move back now… I haven't quite got the hang of this yet…." Naruto worked a number of hand seals. After all the business with Akatsuki, he felt somewhat deficient in his learning, despite the fact that he had come up with a move that his father never had time to master. He had begged various jounin to teach him new Ninjutsu. "Karyuu Endan." The fire he breathed out soon had a nice blaze going, giving them a fair amount of light and a nice bit of warmth.

Strangely shaped shadows danced about the octagonal room, created by the huge flickering fire. Cobwebs hung from the roof and crossbeams. Dust was thick on the floor. Numerous weapons racks and supply bins were spread around the room, covered by dingy old blankets and canvas. A lone mouse made a defiant gesture, before scampering for the safety of its hole.

"Let me see your head now, Naruto-kun." Hinata swallowed hard seeing a small trickle of blood. Probing the top of his head, she sighed and nodded her head, "Thank goodness. It's only a scalp wound. Let me take care of that for you…." It was _her _turn to wipe away the blood, but she didn't have a clean cloth. "Please… ummm… N-N-Naruto-kun… please look away for a moment…."

"Hinata?" Naruto winced after putting his hand to head.

"Please… don't look…." When Naruto did as she asked, Hinata tore off a piece of her slip and used that as a rag. "Do you still have the ointment?"

"No… I… sorry." Naruto shook his head, scowling. "I was distracted by… well wishers…" He coughed. "It's back where… well…" He didn't need to finish.

"I threw it at you," Hinata said. "I'm sorry. That was wrong of me. I should have controlled myself better." She hung her head. Her feelings were knotted up like an old fisherman's net.

"Hey. No big deal. It's OK, Hinata!" Naruto laughed in his usual manner, not wanting to make a big thing out of it.

"I… I _know_ that… I just don't like… seeing you hurt…." Hinata's eyes were very wide. Her lips trembled.

"Well, don't worry about _that. _You're hurt too, you know." Naruto looked down at Hinata's leg again, and then looked away. "I'm more worried about you…." He had been too tempted to look for the wrong reason. He almost felt as if he had somehow cheated on Sakura. He realized that it was stupid to feel that way, but he couldn't help himself. But, it also wasn't respectful!

"I _do_ worry," Hinata said. "You may be very strong, but you hurt like anyone else…." She thought back to a time when he had been hospitalized. She came by with Kiba and Shino for a visit, but promptly passed out. "And… ummm… I'm pretty tough too…." Hinata held her chin up. She had spoken the truth. But, before that moment, she had never viewed herself in that light.

"Yes." Naruto said, staring at Hinata's face. "You certainly are." He smiled. "I never really realized just _how_ tough." He wasn't just being polite. After hearing about the trials and tribulations that his fellow ninja had faced growing up, he began to see her in a different way. Sakura had never been through something like that. Before Sasuke ran away and she finally decided to apply herself, his pink-haired teammate had made a career out of being a fifth wheel.

Hinata blushed. As Naruto's gaze lingered on her, she looked away. She had been praying for him to notice her, but still found his attention embarrassing. She clenched her fists. Was she going to ruin this by being too prudish? Was she still too afraid to make the most of this opportunity?

There was a long awkward stretch of silence A huge bright flash of light made them both cover their eyes. A resounding _C-r-a-c-k _could be heard outside, in the direction that they had come from.

"Good thing we weren't back _there_ anymore, huh?" Naruto said, conversationally.

"Ummm…. yes…." Hinata tugged at her hair, wrapping wet strands around her finger.

The silence resumed. Neither of the two ninjas knew what to say. Both looked up when a frightened squirrel ran into the building, caught sight of them, and quickly scampered back into the night.

"You don't see that every day." Naruto offered, wondering what he could talk about, or if there was even any need to talk at all. "Or night."

"No… ummmm… you don't…." Hinata reached over and pulled an unused piece of canvas her way. It was filthy, leaving heaps of dust in its wake; but, she felt a strong need to cover up her exposed leg. "Oh… thank you…." She accepted Naruto's offer to use his coat instead.

More time passed, with the only sound coming from the howling wind outside, the battering of hailstones against the old wooden shingles, or the sporadic pops and crackles of burning wood.

"So… uhhh… Hinata…." Naruto was far more uncomfortable with silence than Hinata was. He sought desperately for a topic of conversation, settling on an observation he had made earlier. "You were drinking pretty heavily at the bar. That was _really_ surprising." His eyes went wide and he waved his hands. "Not that I'm making any kind of judgment or anything!" After all, he had downed far more alcohol than she had before she even showed up. "Well…you must have been very upset… I guess…." He moved his arms again. "Not that it's any of _my _business…."

Hinata began twiddling her fingers, but forced herself to stop. That was a childhood habit. She had kept it far too long. Clasping her hands together, she took a brave step. "Yes… it _is_…."

"You're right, I really should…." The answer registered with Naruto. Hinata hadn't replied in the manner he had expected. "What?" Naruto stuck his lower lip out and scratched his head, careful to stay away from the minor laceration.

There was another close lightning strike. This one was accompanied by a near simultaneous crack of thunder. Startled, Hinata jumped up some, coming back down against Naruto. Trembling ever so slightly, she made no effort to resume her prior position. She wasn't being coquettish. She felt more secure this way.

"It's…." Hinata felt as if her tongue had doubled in size. "I…." No. Please. I have to do this. I can't fail again. Not now.

"You think that poorly of me?" Naruto seemed to shrink in on him self, almost imperceptibly. He misinterpreted her reason for keeping relatively silent. His painting himself in a negative light helped his wet and shivering companion get past her emotional barrier.

"No, Naruto-kun." Hinata's denial came out in a rush. Her heart was in her eyes, but Naruto was too startled by her vehemence to notice. "It's the opposite…." The figurative door was open now. Could she muster the courage to step through? "I… I…." She stalled.

"That's OK," Naruto said. "You don't have to try to spare my feelings. I'm still not used to people doing that for me." He was often brash and forceful, and wore his feelings on his sleeves. That usually had people being quite frank with him, even his friends. But, at least they were all well-meaning, unlike the people who had made his childhood a memory worth forgetting. "Thank you, though. You're a nice person. I guess I never really paid much attention to that before."

"That's not it." Hinata shook her head, pushing onward where she might normally have stopped, basking in a rare compliment. "That's not it at all. You have to believe me." She wasn't about to let him sit there, feeling bad about himself. His actions earlier in the night had obviously been pushed back into a far corner of her mind. "I'm just not brave enough to tell you that… that I…." She wrapped her arms around her self. Don't stop girl!

"…" Naruto didn't know what to say in response. He chose instead to watch Hinata, wondering just what she was thinking. He also felt an urge to make a confession similar in spirit to the one he had made to her years ago, back when she was hiding behind a post at the training field. "You know… even though it might look differently… I'm not brave all the time." He wasn't a coward by any means. Back when he had faced the Demon brothers, he had seized up, and Sasuke had done what should be done, before Kakashi showed them all why he was such a well-known shinobi. Naruto had rarely found himself paralyzed by fear after that. But, there were still times where he relied more on bravado than true bravery. "But… I always find my way… because of my friends…."

"…" It was Hinata's turn to be quiet a moment, her eyes filling with tears of gratitude, along with tears dedicated to all of the moments of fear and anguish she had suffered through the years. That was just like Naruto, putting his own pride aside for the sake of his friends. He might be too rash and too easily provoked during battle; but, when he had time to reflect, his heart and mind were always in the right place. "Yes. Me, too." That was true. It was one more thing they had in common.

The silence returned. This time, Naruto thought back over his life and Hinata searched for the best way to proceed. For some reason, she didn't feel scared any more. Now, she simply wanted to make sure that she didn't misspeak.

"N-N-Naruto-kun… I've told you that… that I watched… that I used to watch you all the time." She couldn't bring herself to look in his face at the moment. "I let you know that you were always my inspiration. But… I… that's not all." She was shocked at how easy things were going. She was still frightened, but felt a growing confidence. It was something similar to getting a heavy object moving. The hardest part was the beginning. "I came to the bar tonight… because that was where _you _were… because I was… because we were _both _very lonely…." Hinata swallowed hard. "And…."

Naruto began feeling somewhat strange. He seemed to be very much tuned into the sound of Hinata's voice. For the first time that evening, he took serious note of her perfume. It was very nice. The weight of her body pressing against him had him feeling somewhat on edge. His thoughts abuzz, he made no effort to move away. It was pleasant, having that softness pressing against him, even though both of them were dressed in drenched and dripping clothes.

"Ummm…." Hinata looked down at her lap. "Ummm… you see…… I…." What was she waiting for? He was there. They were actually leaning up against one another. There were no distractions. No one was angry, sad, or putting on appearances.

"Take your time," Naruto said taking another deep sniff of her perfume before realizing what he had done. "I talked way too much tonight… and you were nice enough to listen. I'll return that kindness." He suddenly stopped, embarrassed to have been so obvious in his sniffing.

"Yes… thank you… what I am _trying_ to say is…." Hinata gripped her skirt tightly with both hands. She lifted her chin up. It was now or never.Cue the dramatic music! "I came to the bar because I'm… _interested_… in you, Naruto-kun." Hinata spoke in a rush after that. "And I was hoping that somehow you might become interested in _me_."

Naruto sat stiffly, like he had been carved from alabaster. The rise and fall of his chest was barely noticeable. He looked down at his feet… opened his mouth… and then closed it again. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

The silence was the loudest thing that Hinata had ever heard. It had her ready to explode into a thousand pieces, or melt into a puddle and seep into the cracks in the timeworn floor planks. Saying the words was only half the battle. If Naruto laughed, or made a joke to spare her feelings, she would die.

Leaves blew in through the door, when the wind found just the right angle. Hinata tucked her legs in close to her body, despite the pain, rearranging the coat. Motes of flaky ash and glowing sparks floated up from the fire. Tense and frightened at the same time, she watched them dart about in the spiraling wind

"N…." Hinata bit her tongue.

Naruto sat like a carved gargoyle, his face painted orange by the firelight.

"N-… N-…"Hinata felt her heart pounding and heard the loud rush of blood in her ears.

Naruto ran a hand through his hair. Bringing that hand back down again, he stared at it, as if seeing it for the first time. He still didn't speak, or look at Hinata.

"N-… N-… Na-…." Hinata felt her throat close up. She didn't move an inch when another loud peel of thunder shook the walls of the hut, oblivious to everything but the silent boy. He hadn't answered. That could bode very well for her!

Naruto put both hands behind his neck. He leaned back and looked up at the rafters lining the ceiling. There were large hooks, once used to hang cured meats and clan banners. He rocked back and forth a little, arranging his thoughts.

"Naruto-kun…." Hinata practically pleaded with her eyes. She almost spoke her wishes out loud, buffeted by waves of worry and desperation. Was he being quiet to spare her feelings? Did he think it better to say nothing, rather than hurt her?

When Naruto finally spoke, he did so slowly, in a low and husky voice. "I guess… while I always acted like I expected otherwise… I never thought that anyone would ever really feel that way… about me…." What was he feeling? How _should_ he feel?

For a moment, the pensive ninja felt compelled to say 'I would have given anything to hear Sakura say that.' He shook off that thought. That would be inconsiderate, in light of Hinata's confession. What's more, he found himself uncertain about how he really felt about the girl of his dreams. Correction. _Former_ girl of his dreams.

Hinata wasn't trying to be bold. She was far too tired for that, even if she had been so inclined. She leaned heavier against Naruto Thanks to the amount of Sake she had consumed, she was still somewhat muddled. She didn't know how to name the feeling, but she felt mellow. Sitting quietly, she found that her usual worry and self-consciousness had become diluted and dulled.

"What…." Naruto twitched when Hinata pressed closer to him. He suddenly felt a little bit nervous. No, he felt somewhat eager. No, he felt strangely comfortable. It was none of those. It was all of them, and more. His heart was just as jumbled as his mind. He almost scooted away from her, sliding on his backside. Instead, he shifted a bit, so the girl could lean more comfortably.

He was strong. He was sturdy. Maybe she simply needed something soft and warm to prop herself up against. Then again, she had said some rather startling things. He never would have seen that confession coming in a million years. He frowned. Maybe that was why some people still referred to him as 'That Naruto.' Looking down, he saw a small smile on her face. That had him smiling too, even though he wasn't sure why.

"Don't fall asleep or something," Naruto said, seeing Hinata close her eyes. He swallowed hard when she rested her head on his shoulder. "We can… well… we will need to get some place warm when the worst of the storm is over." He looked outside. The hailstones were still falling. The light of the fire had the ground glittering within the radius of its glow. Countless ice fragments covered the path like tiny diamonds. That view was beautiful. Magical.

"Mmm hmmm." Hinata nodded her head, and then squirmed around a bit to find just the right spot. She sighed.

"Right… good…." Naruto had no trouble taking on Kakazu, despite the trouble the S-class criminal had given seasoned shinobi. Years earlier, he had no hesitation facing Kabuto and Orochimaru, back when he finally got the hang of Rasengan. But, faced with the close proximity of a girl who was enamored with him… with a girl he had never felt nervous around before… he found it difficult to act. What should he do? What could he possibly talk about? Him… Uzumaki Naruto… the Mouth that Roared… tongue-tied!

_Imagine that._

"So…." Naruto cleared his throat, and looked back up at the ceiling again. He pictured what each of his friends might do in a situation like this. That wasn't any help. He wasn't them. He had to find his own answers, his own way. Maybe he should start by examining his emotions. "Hmmm…."

He found himself thinking more and more about the girl at his side. That was only natural, right? She was sitting right there! But, it was more than that. He was thinking the kind of thoughts that were once reserved for Sakura, without the doubts and frustration. For example, it might be nice to sit with his arm around Hinata. He had the crazy urge to smell her hair.

"Is it because…." Naruto clamped his mouth shut, before he could stick his foot in it. He was speaking his thoughts out loud!

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata opened her eyes. She was almost afraid to say something, as if any action on her part might put an end to this wonderful moment.

"Sorry," Naruto said quickly. "I was just thinking…." He looked away after catching the quizzical look in the girl's eyes. He tensed his shoulders and met that gaze, not wanting to feel like he was running from some kind of confrontation with his tail between his legs. He marveled at the way the flames reflected in her white eyes. It almost looked like her entire soul was on fire. "Are you… are feeling any better?"

Hinata nodded her head. She wondered just what Naruto might be thinking. As for her, she didn't want to think. Thinking might lead to worrying. This was a time to treasure, all the more so because she had been waiting for just such a chance for so long, and because she had no idea how long it might last.

"That's good." Naruto frowned. Great. Another insipid response. He looked down at the coat draped over Hinata, thinking that he might want to rub more cream on her. But, that wasn't only for her sake. He quickly looked away, cursing himself for some kind of pervert. But, he hadn't really done anything wrong. It was normal for guys to think about girls,_ wasn't_ it?

He had been heartbroken earlier, driven to drink. He had spent the evening alternating between burning anger and painful yearning. For Sakura. She had been on his thoughts day in and day out, before he asked her to be his date at the dance. How could he suddenly be thinking about Hinata? How could he be thinking about Hinata's leg? Did that make him a traitor to Sakura? Idiot. Of course not. His subconscious really needed to get its shit together!

Maybe the answer was very simple. Hinata cared. That was huge to him, even if it might be trite and commonplace to everyone else. He had spent so much of his life wanting someone to notice him for the right reasons, not because of the terrible beast within him. And… of course… he was a boy… and she was a girl. A warm girl. A warm girl who cared. A warm girl who cared and smelled very good, despite the lingering odors of smoke and Sake. She was cute, too. Really cute. He arched forward, trying to get a good look at her face.

He felt like he had been caught steeling, when Hinata opened her eyes and caught him in the act. Her contented look soon had him feeling relaxed again. That little smile was more powerful than his Futon: Rasenshuriken!

"We're a funny pair of bookends, _aren't_ we Hinata." Naruto mused on their situation"Bleeding. Soaking wet. Sitting in a dark weapons shack. Together… uhhh……and well…." He felt his tongue go dry. "…Alone…."

"Mmmm." Hinata saw no reason to verbalize. She snuggled closer to Naruto, favoring his warmth over that of the roaring fire. She coughed and waved her hand in front of her nose. Not all of the billowing smoke made its way out of the two opposing doorways.

Naruto felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He found his attraction to the quiet young woman at his side growing greater by the second. Was that interest mushrooming too fast? Was it for all the wrong reasons? Was it what they called 'the rebound?' It didn't make any sense to set his self up for another fall, no matter what Hinata might have implied. What's more, he didn't want to get her hopes up, only to have her come crashing down again.

"But… I guess… you know… you probably wish you were somewhere else now, _right?" _Naruto scratched the side of his nose, watching tiny motes of fire dance in the updraft. "I mean… like you said at Inari's… the other girls must be waiting by now."

"Nnnn." Hinata shook her head, keeping it pressed against Naruto. If the storm had slackened considerable, she might have to act on that fact. Lucky for her, the storm of the century raged frightfully outside.

Naruto swallowed hard, realizing that he had begun to sweat some. "Wh-…." Naruto wanted to curse himself as an idiot. Part of him wanted to fantasize about Hinata. Part of him wanted to do more than fantasize. But other parts realized just how little he knew about girls. "Why?"

"Because _you're_ here, Naruto-kun." Hinata stretched, loosening tight muscles. She grinned when Naruto blushed and looked away. It was nice seeing that she wasn't the only shy one, when it came to boy and girl things. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be." She reached own and twisted her torn skirt like a wet towel. Water dripped out from between her fingers. "It would be nice to be dry, though."

"Yes. Dry." Naruto pulled at his shirt. It felt as if someone had glued it to his chest. "Warmer, too." He forged ahead. "But… I have to admit… the company is great…." Admitting that to himself, he helped open the floodgates. Soon enough, in tentative steps, the two ninjas found themselves chatting amiably, choosing silly subjects; touching on important events; and gossiping about their friends.

When Hinata began shivering uncontrollably, Naruto gently pushed her closer to the fire. "I'll be right back." Filled with a sense of purpose, he began rummaging through the various crates, barrels, and stacks. In time, he collected a number of woolen blankets. Musty and a bit moth-eaten, they seemed sanitary enough. Sitting back down, he draped his bounty over his own body and Hinata's, wrapping them up in one big bundle.

"Uhhh… well… this is so we can share our warmth…." Naruto cleared his throat.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata sat up taller. She placed her cheek against Naruto's. It was a natural reaction.

Naruto jumped ever so slightly. Something tickled him unexpectedly, fluttering against his cheek. Hinata told him that her eyelashes must have brushed against him. It hadn't been intentional.

"It wasn't… ummm… Butterfly K-K-Kisses…." Hinata's voice came in a whisper. Her face grew warm, thinking of kisses in general. She had read about things in magazine meant for teenage girls, but had no first hand experience.

Naruto suddenly felt very warm. "Kisses." He hated to seem unworldly. After all, he _was_ a guy. But, he had no idea what she was talking about. "What…."

"When… ummm…." Hinata brushed her eyelashes gently on Naruto's skin, explaining what she was doing. "Like th-th-_that_." She blurted out "But… I read that… some people use that name for something else…." She wanted to ask how that had felt, but couldn't.

"What?" Naruto couldn't help but feel very curious.

"Ummm…." Hinata looked down at her blanket-covered lap. ""Ummm….some people call _this_ Butterfly Kisses." Hinata normally wouldn't have found the courage. But, she wouldn't show a lack of resolve in front of her special person. In a way, she felt as if it was someone else doing what she was doing. That made it easier. "Very light kisses." She pressed her lips ever so slightly against Naruto's neck and cheek. She couldn't believe what she had just done!

"Oh." Naruto felt as if all time stood still. A girl had kissed him. Hyuuga Hinata had kissed him. Sure, they probably weren't much as kisses go; but, they _were_ kisses. "I guess there must be… uh… different _kinds_ of kisses." Outwardly, he was being conversational. On the inside, however, he felt hopeful and expectant.

"Yes," Hinata replied, gathering enough just enough courage to continue. It was easier now, after getting over the first hurdle. "Here…." She rubbed her nose against Naruto's. "That's called Eskimo Kissing. Some people thought that the Inuits would kiss that way, so that their lips didn't freeze together." She blushed. "But… well… it's really just the way they shook hands, when they were wearing big thick gloves."

"Hah!" Naruto laughed. "Then it's really not a kiss then, _is_ it?" He made it sound like Hinata was holding back. He wasn't about to ask who the hell Eskimoes and Inuits were.

"This is a Forehead Kiss," Hinata said, softly kissing Naruto's forehead. "It's a kiss for greeting or comforting someone, and can be used amongst friends."

"Yeh, right." Naruto made a face. He pictured himself kissing Lee or Choji on the forehead. Bleh! He also pictured himself trying the same thing with Sakura. He rubbed his hands over his ribs. There was still a noticeable bump there, from a time in the past when his pink-haired teammate had clobbered him for one comment or another. He could only imagine what she might have done if he had kissed her. "Forget _that_ one."

"I've… ummm… I've read about Hand Kisses." Hinata freed her hand from the encircling blankets. Swallowing hard, she held it up in front of Naruto, wondering where she had managed to find that gumption. "A man c-c-could gently raise a woman's h-h-hands and brush his lips against it..." She looked in his eyes. "…If he wanted to show respect…." She brought her other hand up to her chest. "…Or interest…."

Naruto twitched. The way that Hinata held her hand out like that could mean only one thing. She expected him to kiss it. "Respect. I see. Respect is good." He took her hand in his, hesitated a moment, and then gave it a gentle kiss. He didn't burst into flames. She didn't pass out**. "Gah!" **He hadn't been expecting that! Kyubi was awake, and had actually made it a point to get his attention, deep within his mind. 'Now would be the perfect time to sniff the female's butt,' the fox demon suggested.

"Is something wrong?" Hinata looked worried. Had she overstepped her bounds? She looked down at her hand, almost as if she expected to see that she had grown a monkey's paw or something.

"No… not at all… nothing's wrong!" Naruto vehemently shook his head. There was no way that he was going to repeat what the damn Nine Tails had said. "We were talking about respect, right?" He coughed. "And… well…." He couldn't finish.

"Yes," Hinata said. She knew that the word on the tip of Naruto's tongue had to be 'interest.' Well, _was_ he? Interested, that is. Should she allow herself to get her hopes up? "As I understand it, a man can also kiss a woman gently, on the spots just below their brow bones." She closed her eyes, her breathing coming quicker. "It's… ummm… it's a very intimate kiss."

"In-… intimate…." Naruto just sat there, staring at Hinata's face. She had her eyes shut. Her face tilted just so, as if she were making it easy for him to kiss her just as she had described. "I see." That had come out in a squeaky voice. He furrowed his brow and repeated the two words in more manly fashion. Then, without much further delayed, he kissed Hinata's eyelids.

When Hinata opened her eyes, there was a look of concern instead of happiness. Dreams were nice. It was almost like she was living in one now. But, she had to know the truth. A stray thought had crossed her mind not longs after Naruto's lips had left her skin. She had to know the answer, even if it broke the mood forever. "Naruto-kun…."

"Huh?" Naruto wondered if he had botched the kiss. Or, had Hinata found out that she really didn't want him close to her after all? "Yes?"

"Are you…." She hugged herself. "Are you kissing me just to be kind?" Her eyes looked impossibly large to Naruto. Her lower lip quivered.

"I don't think so," Naruto replied. "It doesn't feel that way." He looked Hinata in the eyes. His facial features softened considerably. "I… well… it's nice." It was. It truly was. "I think… if the storm were gone… I would still like to sit here with you…."

"R-… R-… Really?" Hinata looked skeptical.

"Really," Naruto answered. "And if I was, I wouldn't lie to you after you asked. That's not…."

"Your Ninja Way," Hinata finished. "Or mine," she said softly. "Thank you." She wasn't sure why, but tears came to her eyes. Shuddering uncontrollably, she hugged Naruto and lay in his arms, weeping. She had needed to let all of her pent up pain free. It all came rushing out now, having been given an opening. "Thank you Naruto-kun," she whispered.

"I… I can't promise anything… it's-" He was stopped by a finger on his lips. It tasted salty, thanks to Hinata's tears.

"I know," Hinata said, using a corner of the cleanest blanket to dab at her eyes. She turned some, so she could sit against Naruto more comfortably. "I… I don't expect any promises… this is more than I ever hoped for."

Tentatively, Naruto draped an arm around Hinata. When she made a happy little noise, he held her more confidently. The two of them sat like that for a time, talking again, learning things they hadn't known about one another. Neither was sure why it happened. Just the same, at one point, their words slowed, as their mouths started inching closer together. The talking stopped, but their mouths still drew inexorably nearer.

_Their lips met. _

Naruto trembled for a moment. Hinata moaned ever so quietly, almost greedily. Gradually she took the lead, shocking and pleasing Naruto. At one point, when Naruto pulled away to catch his breath, Hinata made an urgent little noise in the back of her throat and pulled him close to her again. That had him letting go of his last safeguards.

He no longer had any reason to think about pain and rejection. In the shelter of those rough heavy blankets, only Hinata and Hinata's lips mattered. The kissing grew in intensity, and duration. There was no explosion. No fireworks. No choir of angels singing. No sudden passage to adulthood. Coming up for air, Naruto looked at Hinata in wonder, as if that was the first time he had seen a woman in his life. Hinata felt as if she had died and gone to Paradise.

The two shinobi spend the next half hour in a gentle exploration of one another. They each laughed, discovering how noses seemed to be designed merely for getting in the way. Hinata was more demonstrative than Naruto expected, making quite certain that he was a gentle and considerate kissing partner.

"It's OK to be passionate, N-Naruto-kun…." Hinata kissed him lightly after saying that. "But try to be aware of how _I'm_ responding, too. It's OK to go slow."

Naruto nodded, suddenly feeling like he had done something wrong. Hinata disabused him of that idea with a passionate kiss of her own. Over time, learned that Hinata like to have her hair stroked or her cheek caressed when she was kissed. She did not like to have his hands hold her head firmly in place, leaving her no opportunity to move it as she chose. At one point, Naruto jumped.

"You… well…. your _tongue_…" He had been caught entirely off guard. "It…"

Hinata blushed. She had heard about French Kissing, but that hadn't prompted her to try things. It had just happened naturally. "It d-d-didn't feel good?"

"I… well… I don't know. I was too shocked to notice." Naruto smiled, and then struck the seated version of his Nice Guy pose. "I suppose I _should_ find out…." It took a while before he was willing to give her his final answer. A long while. She didn't mind one bit, not even when her tongue grew tired.

Not too long after that, it was Hinata's turn to stop things. Naruto's kisses had wandered below her neck, and his hands were resting on places where she wasn't comfortable having hands yet. _She gently stopped Naruto's kissing, and moved his hands._ Naruto looked disappointed and worried at the same time.

"I'm not ready to go _that_ far, _N_-Naruto-kun." Hinata spoke firmly. She remembered a lecture that Kurenai had given her once.

"Hinata… I… it was just… I didn't mean to." Naruto looked upset. "I'm sorry."

Hinata shook her head. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's _OK, _Naruto-kun. It even… ummm… felt good… _but." _Hinata straightened her shoulders and continued. "Just being with you is enough for me… as silly as that might sound. What we've shared… makes me so happy. I… I…"

_Tears came to her eyes again._

"Hinata?" Naruto ran his hand gently down along her hair.

"I'm really not used to being happy." She began to cry once again. She still had a lot of pent up emotions. With each of her barriers that the two broke together, there seemed to be another waiting just beyond.

"You… I…." Naruto didn't know what to say. He just wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, resting his shin on top of her head. He rocked her slowly. It was the right choice. Her arms held onto him like he had just saved her from drowning.

When Hinata's sobbing faded away, she looked up at Naruto with such strong adoration, that the young chuunin thought he must be dreaming.

"I'm not used to someone looking like that at me." He spoke the truth, amazed. But, he had his share of barriers, too. "Why _me_, Hinata? I can't believe _any _girl would care about me. That's probably why I couldn't let myself believe you were interested in me. Not after so many years of…." Naruto clenched his teeth. Now was not the time to feel angry or hurt.

"You're very special, Naruto-kun." Hinata touched his cheek, as if memorizing every line of his face. "More and more people see that." She took his hand and kissed his fingertips. Her boldness no longer surprised her. "People didn't think you were talented. But, they had to admit you were, because it was something they could see." She tapped his chest. "It took longer for them to see your true strength and character." She smiled. "I knew all along." There was a touch of smugness there.

"It's taking a long time for everyone to find out," Naruto said, making a sour face. Every year, more and more villagers came to see what kind of person he truly was. But, that number grew slowly, since it was the people that he directly interacted who saw past their assumptions and misconceptions.

"I don't mind." Hinata blushed and brought her hand to her mouth. "I mean… it's just that…." She met his eyes. "If the other girls realized how wonderful you were…." Now that she had Naruto's attention, she didn't want any competition.

"Oh." Naruto guessed what she meant. He rubbed his chin, as if he was deep in thought. "Hmmm-mm-m….."

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata wondered what he was thinking.

"If you can figure out how great I am, I guess the other girls can, too." He kept a straight face, knowing exactly how Hinata would react. "I wonder who might be the best match for me. I owe it too myself to find out…."

"But…." Hinata tightened up, before catching on. He was playing with her! That was nice in its own way; but, it had her heart palpating. The pessimistic part of her prayed that his words never became a reality.

"Let me see.' He held up one hand. One finger sprang up. "Sakura is out. Definitely." he put another finger up. "Ino's kind of cute. Ten Ten, too." A third finger joined the other two, followed by a fourth. He didn't have the chance to mention another name.

"I… I know who's best for you," Hinata offered. She knew that Naruto would expect her to say 'me.'

"You do?" Naruto put his hands behind his neck, enjoying a sense of power. "Who?"

"Sasuke," Hinata replied. She couldn't keep a straight face. It was nice to show Naruto that she had a sense of humor, too. "I know how hard you worked to bring him back."

"**Gurk!" **Naruto began choking. "That's _sick, _Hinata! Just what kind of girl _are_ you. No shinobi we know would ever behave _that_ way! That's just wrong." Naruto frowned. He caught the subtle grin on Hinata's face. "Very funny!"

_There definitely was more to Hinata than meets the eye._

For a short while after that, Hinata sat in front of Naruto, content to just lean back against him with her eyes closed. Relaxed, she told him how her feelings for him had evolved over time. At one point, she almost slipped and used the 'L' word. It was much too soon for that. Not only did she need to find out how she felt in reality, but she also didn't want to scare Naruto away. She had heard too many horror stories like that from older girls and women.

Naruto listened, mesmerized. To think that she had felt that strongly about him, and he never really caught on. Suddenly, his heart felt like it had dropped out. He thought about the way he had acted at the bar, and the things that he said. He put one finger on Hinata's lips. She bit him lightly.

"The things I said at he bar tonight. That must have really hurt, huh?" He sounded dejected.

"Yes. It really did." Hinata's voice was somewhat sad. She was not going to gloss over any feelings. She hoped that Naruto would follow suit.

"And in the street… Kiba! " Naruto smacked himself in the head. He had thought she was talking about her teammate. _"Shit!"_

Hinata giggled, but stopped. "It wasn't funny, _then_." She turned and looked Naruto in the eyes. He really did look sorrowful. That was exactly what she had hoped to see.

"Kakashi spoke to me when I was chasing after you." Naruto shook his head, wondering what the people at the pub thought of him, too. "He implied that I was an idiot. He was right."

"That's alright, Naruto-kun…." Hinata smiled.

"Oh?" Naruto cocked his head.

"As long as you're _my_ idiot."


	6. Two, from then on

Even truly magical moments have to end.

Looking at her watch, wondering how it could have possibly survived the events of the evening, Hinata sighed.

"Naruto-kun, I need to get going now." The white-eyes kunoichi sounded somewhat dejected. But, she was no longer depressed, not after her amazing good fortune.

"Huh?" Naruto frowned. He was none to happy to hear that. His spirit had undergone a remarkable turnaround, too. "Why?" He laughed and pretended to sniff his armpits. "I showered today."

Despite his joke, it was clear that he was disappointed. Hinata was very happy to see that. "It's getting late. I… well I… I have to get together with the girls." She bit her lip. "If I don't show up… they'll be worried about me." She prayed that he wouldn't view that as a rejection of sorts.

"Uh huh." Naruto nodded his head. It was good to have friends that cared. He chuckled. "Think they might send out a search party or something?" His eyes widened for a moment. He imagined just such a scenario, with a mob of girls bursting into the shed back when he and Hinata were doing their best to tickle each other's tonsils.

"They might," Hinata said with a shy grin. If someone had gotten word of her running down the street crying, her friends might have gotten worried enough to look for her. "But… actually… it's not _them _I'm worried about…."

"Your father?" Naruto said that like he had just bitten into a particularly sour lemon. "If you get home too late after meeting up with the girls…."

"No." Hinata shook her head. Her father wouldn't be waiting up for her. Hanabi might, but not him. "Kurenai. If she got worried enough, _she_ might go out." She pictured her pregnant teacher braving the cold and rainy night. "Even if the other girls tried to stop her."

"That wouldn't be good." Naruto correctly read between the lines. "Not in her condition." He slumped his shoulders, putting on an act. "Just when things had started getting good." Actually, things had long since crested. "I guess Shikamaru was right, after all…."

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata looked out through the nearest doorway. The storm had died down considerably. In fact, it might even be over. Caught up in her kissing match, she had lost track of the conditions outside.

"Girl's are bothersome," Naruto drawled, imitating his laconic friend. "When you want some peace and quiet…. there they are, making you miserable…." He began walking around, arms behind his back, sounding as if he were lecturing a group of Academy students. "And when you _do _want them around… they go running off, leaving you alone…."

"…" Hinata bit her lip before letting out her breath. She was pretty sure Naruto was joking. Pretty sure. "So… you don't think it would be nice… having a girl around…."

"Well…." Naruto stopped and rubbed his chin. He turned away and coughed, after an image came to mind. He had asked Jiraiya a similar question once, wondering why the older ninja had never settled down. The Frog hermit had said 'It's really nice to have a round girl,' before holding his hands up, as if he were fondling someone. "I hate to say it…."

Hinata felt a little tense. Despite everything that happened, she knew that she would be feeling paranoid for a long time, even if her time with Naruto grew into a relationship. Force of habit and all that.

"But… you know… it's probably more trouble than it's worth…." He felt a bit churlish when he saw Hinata flinch and look down at her feet. He was trying to be playful, and didn't want her to feel sad, even for a moment. "_Unless_ you find the right one…." He walked over and kissed Hinata's forehead.

"Ummm…." Hinata reached out and grabbed his hand for a moment. "Do you think so?" She wasn't talking in generalities. More than anything, she wanted to know if he might think she was the right one for him.

"It kind of feels that way," Naruto said seriously. "But, what do _I _know? It's only been one night. I really don't know anything about women. And, as you implied before, I _am_ an idiot."

"You're getting smarter all the time, Naruto-kun." Hinata blushed, but didn't take her eyes off of his face.

"I guess even a blind squirrel finds an acorn sometimes." Naruto ran his hand through his hair. "It's kind of funny… you know…." His mind switched gears. "I started off the evening pleading with someone. Sulking over someone. And, drinking over someone. But, I can't remember who." He tapped a finger against one cheek. "Can you?"

"Hmmm." Hinata pursed her lips. "I… I'm not sure… maybe…." She shrugged. "No. Sorry."

"Then it can't be anyone important!" Naruto still felt a pang deep in his heart. But, his growing attraction to Hinata would no doubt make that disappear in time. He smiled, thinking how he would feel when he told a certain pink-haired girl about his time in the weapons hut.

"Naruto-kun, be nice." Hinata sounded serious. She knew what Naruto must be feeling. But, he was too good a person to let his baser instincts take over. "She's still your friend. And she did us both a big favor tonight… _right?" _

"Yeh. I guess so. Sure." He kicked at a piece of broken wood. "How'd you get to be so sweet?" Naruto took a moment to examine his feelings. He really _was_ unhappy at the prospect of Hinata leaving. But, the true question was 'why.' Why was he upset?

For her part, he was certain that Hinata had kissed him because she truly cared. But, in regards to himself, the answer wasn't so clear cut. Did he find himself attracted to her only because they had kissed? Because she seemed to care so deeply for him? Or because he actually cared for her? It wasn't an easy question to answer right then and there.

_He wasn't even certain he could trust any answer that didn't come over time._

"Are you still feeling dizzy, Naruto-kun?" Hinata blushed when he called her sweet; but, she became concerned when he started shifting his weight from one foot onto the other. Head injuries weren't always easy to judge based on external signs alone. She began twiddling her fingers again.

"Huh?" Naruto wondred what brought that question on. "I'm fine." He slipped his coat back on and did a back flip. "Ta _daaa-aa-a…."_

Hinata wrinkled her nose. "Show off." She couldn't help but smile. Naruto really was a bundle of energy. Her face grew warm, when she though how that energy had done them both proud during their smooching.

"You just can't do it, _can_ you?" Naruto smirked. "Don't worry. It probably won't lower my opinion of you."

Hinata thought a moment. She was still new to the concept of repartee. "It's probably less pleasant to kiss yourself, then to kiss someone else." She shook her hair out, glad to see that it had dried a fair bit.

Naruto stared a moment, and then smiled evilly. Repartees were one of his fortes.

"Unless you're a dog. You've probably seen Akamaru… uhhhh… never mind." He grinned another wicked grin. "Bet Kiba wishes he could do _that!"_

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata turned beet read. She had always been embarrassed, whenever Akamaru did what other dogs did, especially when he grew so large. "You shouldn't _say _things like that." And he said that girls were bothersome? "I'm… I'm a lady…."

"I've noticed." Naruto looked Hinata up and down. "It took me a while…but it's worth the wait." He wondered if the Hokage was right. Granny Tsunade had said that he had hung around Jiraiya for much too long. No. He wasn't being perverted. He had never been a 'player.' He was just being playful.

Hinata had the good graces to turn bright red. To her surprise, the answer left her feeling more happy than embarrassed.

"Well, I suppose we should put out the fire, and then clean up after it." Naruto scowled. The building was pretty heavy with smoke now. He had been too preoccupied for too long to realize that before now. "You will want to step back a bit." He walked and looked outside. He put his hand on the ground, judging the amount of moisture present. There was plenty, even though the rain had stopped.

"Yes… dear…." Hinata replied, catching herself by surprise. She put her finger to he mouth and blushed again. Where had _that _come from?

Her response was nothing compared to Naruto's.

The boisterous young chuunin had been in the middle of his hand seals for Suiryuudan no Jutsu. The resultant dragon-shaped blast of water fired off prematurely, shooting straight upward and bursting into a wide shower of water. Both he and Hinata were drenched again.

"Uhhh… well… at least it's… uh… stopped raining outside." Naruto looked sheepish.

Hinata squeezed her coat. Water dripped out onto the floor. "Thank you for the weather report, Naruto-kun." Somewhat perturbed, she realized that it was partly her fault. She stored away the useful information.

The next time he tried, Naruto performed the jutsu properly, dousing the fire and washing the ashes and charred remnants out of the shed door.

Hinata smiled, watching him work. He had a large and well-balanced repertoire of skills, some of which were clearly jounin level or above. She checked her watch again.

It really _was_ time for her to head over to the girl's dormitory, where many of the female shinobi that she knew were having a party, followed by a sleep-over. She grinned. It might seem that they were too old for that kind of behavior; but, their busy schedules made it difficult to find a time when they could all get together.

_That bunch loved to gossip._

In the past, she could only sit there quietly, all ears. That had _not_ been easy. Especially since the other girls quite obviously felt sorry for her. But, not tonight! She no longer had any reason to feel left out. If she wanted to, she could talk until morning light. But, she probably wouldn't. It might be fun to just drop a hint or two. Might. Her time with Naruto had been too precious to trivialize. Then again, it might feel good to share her feelings. She might gain more confidence that way.

"Done!" Naruto brushed his hands together with a dramatic flair. "If it wasn't for the smoke, you could never tell that there was a fire in here."

"You're very handy to have a round, Naruto-kun." Hinata blushed, hearing herself speak.

She had said that so nonchalantly!

"Huh?" Naruto's eyes suddenly widened. "So… what you're saying…… you wouldn't mind if I was around you more?"

Hinata just stared. Then she smiled a sly smile. "What did Kakashi-sensei think you were?"

"An id-" Naruto stopped, then laughed. "Yeh."

Hinata thought a moment. Her eyes looked very vulnerable. "Naruto-kun… you d-d-do want to spend time with me again_… _d-d-_don't_ you?"

Naruto scratched his head, trying not to smile. He deliberately began to pace back and forth again, looking like holding a debate with himself. Spying something outside, he walked through the door and brought a large hailstone over to show Hinata, marveling that it hadn't shattered.

""Naruto-kun…." Hinata was not interested I the icy missile. She wanted his answer.

"Look, Hinata!" Naruto held the ice on one finger and spun it with a bit of chakra. "It's _cool, _isn't it!" He paused a moment. "Cool. Like in cold. Get it?"" He smiled then, unable to keep up his act any longer. "I said we were bookends, _didn't_ I?" Naruto placed his hand on Hinata's cheek, smiling as she leaned her head against it.

"Yes." Hinata nodded and then kissed Naruto's hand. "You did."

"Well then, I guess Kakshi-sensei will need to add _another_ name to his list of idiots!" Naruto grinned, showing his teeth.

Hinata's mouth fell open. "Naruto-kun." She kicked him playfully in the shin.

"Yes… uh… dear…." He tried the word out himself. It _did_ have a nice ring to it. But, he felt somewhat silly saying it. After all, as pleasant as their time together had been, wasn't that jumping the gun a bit? "Don't worry… I won't tell anyone else but him… as long as you're _my _idiot…."

Hinata smiled, then gave Naruto a quick hug. It was so wonderful to have someone to be playful with. It was wonderful just wanting to be playful at all. There was a lot she could learn there, too.

_Naruto would be a good teacher._

In the past, Kiba had repeatedly tried to have her lighten up. He called her a white-eyed stick in the mud. Shino once said that she was content to be a worker, when she should be aiming for queen. Not being big into bugs, it took a while to figure out just what he meant. Kurenai simply told to be patient and to keep pushing forward.

When Hinata and Naruto strolled outside, they were amazed at the changes; in the sky, and in their hearts.

Small bits of sky were evident between patches of thick rain-heavy clouds. The stars were out. To Naruto, those stars seemed so much brighter and more meaningful than before. Still having a soft spot for childhood games, he made a wish. Hinata was content to wait patiently by his side. She wasn't about to take her eyes off of his face. Not even for stars.

"Thank you, Hinata." Naruto's voice was rich with emotion.

Hinata was taken aback. She was an expert in the sound of that voice, but had never heard that timbre before.

"What for?" Hinata moved closer, slipping under his arm.

"For not giving up." Naruto still stared heavenward, but reached over to squeeze Hinata's arm.

"I almost did," Hinata admitted. "But someone helped me keep believing." She leaned up against him. "Even if he didn't have a clue at first."

"That's what I wanted you to think," Naruto said, squaring his shoulders and sticking out his chin. "It was all part of my clever plan." He smiled at the incredulous look on Hinata's face." "You know… pretend to like Sakura… get another girl to come to the bar and offer sympathy… drive her off by acting like an insensitive jerk…and then chase after her." He shook his finger like a pontificating monk. "Girls like to be caught."

"Oh?" Hinata couldn't hold back her grin. This was a side of Naruto that most people never got to see. It was her little treasure.

"Yes. Naturally. It works every time." Naruto looked back up at the stars. He felt so free, as if _he_ had been the bird in the cage, and the bars had turned to dust. He had taken another big step away from his tortured past.

"I see," Hinata said. "It's a good thing… ummm… that I let you catch me, then." She looked up at the stars now. Her spirit was soaring, and should reach one of those points of light any time now.

"You let-" Naruto bit back his retort. "Yes. A very good thing." He didn't always have to get the last word in. Not with Hinata. She was someone that would always be on his side. What an amazing thing!

After they left the wooded area and reached the city streets again, the two of them saw numerous couples out together, taking advantage of the lull in the weather. Hinata no longer felt a need to hide, or to feel jealous. Humming happily to herself, she slid her hand into Naruto's.

"Hinata?" The small little action had caught Naruto by surprise. He felt a bit uneasy when the other villagers looked in their direction. But, he had nothing to be ashamed of, _did _he? He stroked her hand with a free finger.

Watching the other couples, he shook his head. If someone had told him that he would be walking hand in hand with a girl tonight, he would have called them crazy. If they told him it would be Hinata, he would have personally escorted them to the Konoha asylum.

After a strolling for another block or so, he began feeling good about himself. He threw out his chest. He came awfully close to strutting.

Noticing, Hinata smiled a happy little smile.

"Look!" Naruto stopped and pointed over towards a gas lamp. "He's back up there again." The boy doubted that the masked ninja would have stayed up on his lamp post during that storm. Hinata looked and saw Hatake Kakashi, the Copy Ninja.

"**K-A-K-A-S-H-I-S-E-N-S-E-I-!-!-!**"

Naruto's loud voice had Hinata flinching. It was something she would need to get used to.

The shinobi in question looked down, lowered his book, and watched as Naruto ran ahead, leaving Hinata to stroll at a pace that didn't cause her any pain..

Naruto moved with blinding speed, flashing up next to Kakashi. He had to wind-mill his arms for a moment, as the spot he landed in was much narrower than his teacher's perch. He was about to ask if the masked ninja still thought he was an idiot, but he pointed instead, his mouth falling open. There was lipstick on the other man's face, just above the line of his mask.

"That's… that's…." Naruto just stared. "Kakashi-sensei… did you and Kurenai…." He had doubted the truth of rumors he had heard. Most people didn't think that Hinata's sensei would get over her prior lover's death that quickly. Uzuki Yugao still hadn't gotten over the loss of Hayate. And, just as no one he knew had seen under Kakashi's mask, he had never met anyone who could tell him who his friend might be interested in.

"Huh?" Kakashi wondered what had Naruto acting that way.

"**HINATA… CAN YOU BELIEVE IT… LIPSTICK… I BET IT'S KURENAI'S."**

"What?" The Copy Ninja brought a hand to his cheek, remembering. "Now I remember. It's not what you think." He closed the visible eye and shook his book in negation. "It was just a kiss of gratitude. I told her that I saw Hinata and thought that she'd be fine."

"Yeh! Sure! Right!" Naruto jumped back to the ground when Hinata stepped into the light from the lamp. "I believe you. I bet Hinata does too."

"Ummm…." Hinata was about to say she _did_ believe Kakashi. But, Naruto had already latched onto his newest idea with incredible zeal. Even after everything she had seen from that storm, she realized that the boy at her side was an even greater force of Nature.

"OK. Let's do this!" Naruto pumped his fist. It was payback time. He wouldn't forgive his sensei for that earlier Sasuke comment. "It's time to sing along. Kakashi and Kurenai sitting in a tree…." He looked at Hinata expectantly.

Hinata just looked back at him, mouth closed. She looked up at Kakashi, as if to say 'Is this the kind of thing you've had to put up with over the years?'

"You know… you know… Kakashi and Kurenai sitting in a tree… K… I… S…." Naruto put his hands on his hips and practically glared at Hinata.

"I hope you understand what you're up against." Kakashi directed that question to Hinata. "He's quite a hand full." He smiled when the girl nodded her head. The two teenagers were perfect for one another.

"That's alright. I'll do it myself!" Naruto folded his arms across his chest and stuck his nose up. "I'm probably the better singer, any way." He cleared his throat, then belted out the words.

"**KAKASHI AND KURENAI**… **SITTING IN A TREE**…."

Hinata sighed. Kakashi stuck his fingers in his ears. The other couples strolling along the avenue gave the crooning ninja a very wide berth. The noisy dog from before made another appearance, listened a moment, and then ran off yelping.

"…**K**……… **I**…...… **S**……… **S**…...… **I**…...… **N**…... **G**…."

Naruto gave Hinata a 'V' sign when he was finished. He smiled when she simply shook her head. "Don't worry. I'm not disappointed that you didn't join in." He shrugged. "You're probably bad at spelling…."

Hinata opened and closed her mouth. She looked up at the ninja standing on the street light.

"See?" Kakashi rolled his eyes. He was happy to see that both Naruto and Hinata were in a cheerful mood. What a drastic change from before! No doubt this was another manifestation of the Will of Fire that Sarutobi had been fond of mentioning.

"It's alright," Hinata said. "I have a lot of patience. Unlike someone we know." She put her hands behind her neck, imitating a posture she had seen Naruto use numerous times. "I'm… ummm… I'm sure he'll grow up some day."

"Good luck," the Copy Ninja replied. "I've done all that _I _can." He opened his book back up, used it to wave goodbye with, and then went back to reading.

"Everyone's a comedian," Naruto said, pulling at his lower lip, when he and Hinata started walking again. "Fine bunch of friends I have." He was secretly happy to see Kakashi joke with Hinata that way. In some way, it was almost as if she had passed muster.

"I like him," Hinata said. She had been on missions with Kakashi in the past, but never had a chance to get to know the older shinobi.

"Yes. He's really great." Naruto thought back to his earliest days in Team Seven. "As bad as my early years were, I was lucky to meet some good people." He threw his hip hard against Hinata, making her squeak in sudden indignation. "_Right?"_

She bowed her head and blushed. Then, sighing, she leaned up against Naruto, worming her way underneath his arm again. That made it harder for her to walk, but she didn't mind

"Hey Hinata, follow me. Let's take a short detour." Naruto headed off down a large street just off the main concourse. He had a spring in his step. "This won't take too long, I promise." He had his fingers crossed. Turning a corner he saw what he had hoped to see. "Ichiraku Ramen Bar . Great. They opened back up after the storm." Teuchi had taken to keeping the shop open late after dances and the like.

"Are you hungry, Naruto-kun?" Hinata looked up at his face.

"No… well I wasn't… before you asked." he rubbed his belly. All that kissing had worked up an appetite. "I can eat later."

"Then… why?" Hinata couldn't figure why Naruto would want to stop at a ramen restaurant if he wasn't planning to eat.

"Uhhh… no reason… Naruto scratched his chin, over at the storm-torn awnings. Moths were gathering around the small lights underneath. "I… well…I just wanted to check something out. The girls can wait a few minuets more. Kurenai knows you're OK."

"OK." Hinata was even more curious. Naruto was practically prancing now, humming to himself.

Putting his arm around Hinata's waist, Naruto shepherded her past the take-out windows. He waved to the old man there, and threw out his chest when his daughter Ayame came over to see. Teuchi smiled. Ayame clapped her hands.

Naruto then scanned the tables. The usual nighttime clientele wasn't very well represented. Wait! In the corner!

_He was there!_

Thinking of the important people in his life had brought Iruka to mind. His old instructor was seated at a table with woman he did not recognize. The pretty kunoichi wore a Sand forehead protector.

"**IRUKA-SENSEI!**"

That shout nearly had Iruka dropping his spoon. Recognizing the voice, the ninja turned in his seat. "Naruto."

"It's kind of nice out tonight," Naruto said, shuffling his feet. "After the storm, I mean." He nodded his head in Hinata's direction. When Iruka sat with a quizzical look on his face, he nodded more forcefully, his lips tight together. He smiled when his friend's eyes widened.

Iruka introduced his date. He looked fondly at Naruto and Hinata. His date whispered in Iruka's ear, seeing the condition of Hinata's clothing.

"I'm alright…" Hinata said, smiling. She had seen the other girl's look. "I'm… ummm… better than alright." The older girl looked skeptical until she saw Hinata reach over and touch Naruto's hand.

"So, are you here for your favorite, Naruto?" Iruka smiled. There was stack of bowls in front of him.

"No. Not tonight, Iruka-sensei." Naruto answered. "There are things more important than noodles."

The sound of shattering ceramic had them all looking behind them. Teuchi had dropped a bowl, hearing Naruto's proclamation. Ayame blew Naruto a kiss.

"See…I told you there were things more important than noodles," the girl next to Iruka poked him in the ribs.

Naruto put one foot up on a stool, and brought his face close to his friend's. "Iruka-sensei… you should learn to be more attentive to women!"

All other conversation stopped. The patrons who had braved the night stared at the boy they new all too well. Iruka was too stunned to reply. It was Naruto saying that? Naruto!

The other girl looked over at Hinata. The two of them hid smiles behind their hands.

"_What?" _Naruto asked, his forehead furrowed, seeing the girls behavior. Getting no reply, he reached down and tapped Hinata's wristwatch. . "Let's go, Hinata!"

"OK." Hinata left with Naruto after saying her goodbyes. She felt as if she were walking on clouds. She knew exactly why Naruto had brought her by the noodle shop. He had wanted to be seen with her.

_Her feelings were indescribable._

Wouldn't it be wonderful if Naruto could come to think of her as his important person, just the same way he was her special person! She told herself to slow down. One step at a time. A sudden though distracted her. She would have walked face first into a telephone pole if Naruto had pulled her away, chiding her to be more careful.

She bit her lip.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Right? But, did she have the nerve and courage to do it? And, would it get Naruto in trouble? She would give it some thought, but had to be quick about it. They were not too far away from the dorm.

Decisions… decisions… decisions….

Hinata came to her decision. She wanted to spend more time with Naruto. Just a little more time.

"Well… I guess I'll walk you up to the door…." Naruto looked over at the girl's dormitory. On most nights, this late in the evening, a majority of the windows would be dark. But, on the night of a dance, lights could stay lit until just before dawn.. "That is… if you _want_ me to…."

"Ummm…. Naruto-kun… it's a _very_ large building…." Hinata fidgeted a bit. She was contemplating something rather bold, if not rash and reckless. "And… well… the rooms the girls are using are _far_ in the back."

"Huh?" Naruto's first thought was that Hinata was being a bit too cautious. "You should be safe inside. Who's going to hurt you in there?" Then, another possibility struck him. He quickly chase that notion away. This was no time for his hormones to run wild. The girls would have reserved rooms for their get together. Hinata wouldn't have a room of her own. She would head home when things were done. Naruto swallowed hard, getting a look at the front guard.

A large hulking woman, wearing enameled leather-and-scale armor, stood like a gargoyle at the top of the front steps. The middle-aged shinobi had a belt of shuriken slanting across her chest. An enormous spiked mace rested on one of her shoulders.

"I know… ummm…. Naruto-kun… _but_… " Hinata swallowed, looking for the right words. She would not lie to Naruto. She was afraid to come out and say what she wanted, in case Naruto might turn her down.

"There's a guard…." Naruto was about to say 'But don't worry your pretty little head.' Instead, he finally hit upon the likely reason for Hinata's request. "Ohhh…." He had brought her by to show the people at the Ramen Bar. She wanted to show him off, too.

"So… ummm…." Hinata pulled her coat closer to her when a gust of wind brought a blast of cold air their way.

"Sure," Naruto said smiling. As the truth would have it, he would be glad to help Hinata with this. But, it was more than that. Many of those girls had made dismissive comments about him over the years. It certainly wouldn't hurt them to eat their words. "But… that woman… she doesn't look like she is about to let any boys into the building…."

As they watched, a couple walked up. The enormous kunoichi tossed a number of throwing stars in the blink of an eye. They bounced off the concrete at the feet of the guy, just before the guard motioned the girl into the building. More shuriken thunked into a wooden post next to walkway. The girl's suitor turned tail and ran.

"I have faith in you, Naruto-kun…." Hinata had no doubt that Naruto could defeat the guard; but, she didn't want any fighting. After all, they were all Leaf shinobi. No. Her confidence lay in a different direction. While Naruto wasn't Shikamaru, he should be able to come up with a suitable scheme. "Unless… ummm… you're…_afraid_…."

Naruto went ram rod stiff. "Afraid?" His nose twitched. His upper lip curled.

"It's OK, Naruto-kun." Hinata turned away, hiding her grin. "She _is _rather large."

"_A-f-r-a-i-d-?" _Naruto's clenched his hands into fists. A small amount or orange chakra swirled around him.

"We all get scared, now and then. I won't think any less of you." Hinata put her finger to her mouth. "I _think…."_

**WHO'S AFRAID!**" Naruto made a snorting noise. **"WATCH ME WORK!" **He paused a moment, and then added "dear."

Hinata smiled. Naruto was really very sweet. That was great. He was also very predictable. That might prove invaluable in a boyfriend. Boyfriend?

_She certainly hoped so_.

"Here's the plan, Hinata." Naruto looked very determined. He was in one of those moods now. He was not going to lose. "Go tell the guard that you saw someone hiding in the bushes right over there." The ultimate prankster rubbed his hands together.

"I… I won't lie, Naruto-kun…." Hinata shook her head.

"I know that. It's one of the things that makes you special." Naruto felt good when he saw Hinata turn pink. "And, it won't be a lie. _Look_…." Naruto had created at least one clone.

"Oh!" Hinata grinned. "OK!" She knew what to do. She was very convincing. For a brief instant, her screech actually had Naruto looking around for a real intruder.

As the guard came barreling down the front lawn, the clone begin climbing up the side of a building, using a rope attached to a grappling hook that was wedged in the railing of the lowest balcony.

"You there! Come down at once. You have to the count of ten." The guard ran over to ply her trade. "One… two… three…." The guard put her massive mace down and pulled on a leather strap. A large bag lined with throwing knives unfolded.

The clone broke wind in dramatic fashion.

Her face contorted with rage, the guard counted very quickly. "Four fivesixseveneightnineten!" Seeing no response, she tossed her weapons. They flew straight and true, aimed to disable to interloper. Instead, the ersatz Peeping Tom disappeared in a puff of smoke.

A second replica stepped out from the bushes, pulled down on one eyelid and stuck out its tongue. When the enraged guard pawed the ground like a bull, it flipped her the bird. Then, it ran around the nearest corner of the building.

The guard cried out with a bloodcurdling bellow. In one smooth move, she reached full speed and swept the mace back up, carrying it like it was a feather. Still shouting, she swung it around her head in sweeping arcs.

Watching the woman kick up huge clods of mucky sod, the two shinobi grinned and snuck into the building.


	7. Two, among friends

Naruto and Hinata made their way through the well lit hall.

The two of them still felt the rush of adrenalin. Hinata felt like a rebel for the first time in her life. Naruto simply felt nervous.

"I'm… I don't think I'm supposed to be in here, Hinata." He began to look around nervously. He really didn't feel like being dragged in front of Tsunade by an embarrassed guard or a gaggle of indignant girls. "Hey! _This_ might help."

There was a puff of smoke. When it cleared, Hinata saw that Naruto had taken on the form of his Sexy No Jutsu girl. Fortunately, he went a step further, making certain he was appropriately clothed.

"I'm sorry if I look prettier than you, Hinata." Naruto couldn't resist the chance to tease the girl again. "It's a curse." He used one hand to fluff his hair, the way he had seen street tarts do during his travels with the Frog hermit.

"It's OK…." Hinata tried hard to think of a come back. "Ummm…." She smiled. She found one. She would use it. "I wonder if Kiba and Shino think there's something wrong with a boy dressing up as a girl. I'll ask them at practice tomorrow."

"I'm sure you will," Naruto replied. "I'll explain to them why. You know… how a certain girl… who couldn't keep her lips off of me… wanted to sneak me into her room." He began whistling while making it a point to examine his long painted nails. "I'm sure I can convince them not to tell the other guys…."

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata stood aghast for a moment, before reality set in. He would never do that to her. She stared at him. "You can be your_ own_ girlfriend." She almost faltered. She couldn't honestly call herself Naruto's girlfriend yet, and she didn't want to sound like she was assuming anything. "You can make one of your bunshin look like you do now." She felt scandalized by her own quip.

"…" Naruto stifled his come back. He smiled. "You've got a lot of promise." She gave her a thumbs up gesture, light shining off his teeth. The Nice Guy pose didn't work too well when he looked like a curvaceous cutie. He thought 'Sakura would never play along this way.' He truly was impressed.

Luckily, the few girls who they passed in the hallway didn't recognize Naruto's jutsu-girl. There was a moment's trepidation when the guard from outside came barreling down the hall way, moving her search indoors; but, the woman didn't pay them any attention. The sound of whistles outside suggested that more guards had joined the manhunt. None of them came inside.

"It's the room over there," Hinata said, pointing to the end door in the hallway.

"What's _tha_t all about?" Naruto pointed at the door, just as his jutsu ran out. He looked like his normal self again.

"Oh… ummm…." Hinata blushed. There was a makeshift sign taped to the door. It was written in large letters, with lipstick:

_**LOSERS, KNOCK ONCE**_

_**WINNERS, KNOCK TWICE**_

"Is that for…." Naruto's eyes went wide. The boys always talked big; but, they rarely ever did any of the things they bragged about. Kakashi always claimed that girls matured before boys. "Do the girls…." If they did, it wouldn't be with the guys he hung around with. "You know…."

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata didn't understand his question. When he whispered an explanation in her ear, she turned beet red. "N-… N-… No…." She swallowed hard, hand over her heart. "At least… not that I know…." She was referring to the kunoichi her own age. "Th-that sign means getting together w-with the boy you w-want to." She raised her hand to knock.

Naruto watched her like a hawk. She was going to knock twice, _wasn't_ she? He almost felt that his pride was on the line. But, to his surprise, it was more than that. As for Hinata, being a shy person, she felt somewhat hesitant. She was a very private person. But, this was an amazing opportunity. In the past, she had often felt left out. She had always been a 'Loser.' She had brought Naruto with her for a purpose, after all.

Hinata knocked twice.

Before the door opened, they heard a step behind them. "Hey, Hinata! How are… _wait_…." It was Ten Ten, dressed in a long sequined gown, a corsage at her wrist. Her weapons pouch was barely visible underneath her overcoat. "What is _he_ doing here?"

Footsteps could be heard approaching the door, barely audible above the music playing inside. The door opened. "Hinata, was that _you_ knocking twice?" Ino's face peered out into the hall. She caught sight of Naruto and made a sour face. "Euwww-ww-w_…_ I sure hope not." She exchanged glances with Ten Ten. "I thought you grew out of that!"

"What's going on here," Ten Ten demanded. "How'd he get by the guard?"

"He _who?" _That was Sakura's voice. "Is it Sasuke?" She had started fantasizing about the Uchiha boy again. The other girls had gotten over that fad. "Out of the way, Ino." The two girls struggled for position. Sakura stuck her head out this time. "Naruto!" Sure, it had been a long shot. Her head knew that Sasuke would never come looking for her, but her heart lived in a different reality. Either way, the last person she wanted to see was her other teammate. "You can't come into the girl's dormitory. If you came here to bother me _again_…." She balled her hand into a fist.

Naruto began to say something rude, but held his tongue. Hinata reached out and touched his arm, pleased at his restraint.

Ino called out after jostling with Sakura again. "Kurenai-sensei. Anko-sensei. We have a boy in the building!"

"No," Sakura said. "As usual, Ino's wrong. It's not a boy." She glared at her teammate. "It's Naruto."

"Hinata!" Ten Ten suddenly sounded worried. "What happened to your skirt? It's torn really badly." She looked the other girl over more critically, taking in the damage to her body and her clothes. "And your shoes… your leg…." She sniffed. "You smell like smoke… and Sake!"

"Hello, ladies. What's going on? I thought the party would be inside." It was Shizune, carrying a large bag of eats and drinks. "Hinata, are you OK? That's a might nasty looking scrape on your hand!" Her eyes widened, seeing who the girl was with "Did _he_ do something to hurt you? Not Naruto…."

"He didn't…." Hinata could finish. Her sensei hurried out into the hallway, after Sakura and Ino stepped aside.

"Just where _were_ you tonight, Hinata?" Kurenai looked a little ragged. That had Hinata feeling guilty. "You snuck out of the dance. That's not like you." She knew how hard it was for the younger woman to go to social affairs like that. No one asked her to dance, unless they were being polite. The one person she _did _want to ask, never paid her any attention. "I think you owe me an explanation." She gave Naruto the evil eye. What was _his_ role in all this?

"Well… I… ummm…." Hinata looked flustered. She stopped speaking and twiddled her fingers.

"**HYUUGA HINATA!!!**" Kurenai's voice cracked like a whip.

_Hinata was conditioned to answer that tone._

"Inari's Pub." Hinata closed her eyes. She had answered purely out of reflex. That had been the first answer that came to mind. She could only imagine what everyone's reaction would have been if she said 'Making out in the weapons shed' instead.

"What?" Kurenai's voice was icy cold, far more frosty than anything Hnata or Naruto had faced that night. "Did you say 'pub'?"

"Hinata…." Sakura slid past Kurenai, looking particularly pissed. "In a _bar_…." She stood toe to toe with Naruto, rolling up one sleeve and then the other. "I turn you down… so you take Hinata… to a bar?" She looked like she could chew steel and spit nails. Often enough in the past, she had assigned herself the job of being his conscience. "Hi…na…ta…."

"Were you trying to take advantage of her feelings for you?" Ino put her hands on her hips and scowled. "I can't believe that _anyone _would do something so low."

"Naruto." Shizune sounded far more serious than any one there was used to. "Were you trying to get Hinata drunk?" Her facial expression clearly said she was more interested in the 'why' rather than the 'what'. "I told Tsunade that Jiraiya would be a bad influence on you."

"That's all we need… another pervert…." Anko stepped into the hallway. Things were getting a bit crowded. And, the commotion had girls from the other rooms looking to see what was going on. "Of course… we can always take care of that…." She began flipping a well-worn knife in one hand.

"Pervert?" Ten Ten said. "Is _that_ why you look like this, Hinata?" She undid the flap on her weapons bag. Kunei appeared in both of her hands. She was too caught up in the mob mentality to ask herself why Naruto would walk into the lion's den if he had done something reprehensible.

"Like _what?" _Kurenai asked. She still hadn't gotten a good look at the girl. She asked everyone to step aside so that she could.

"Someone told me that they saw a girl looking like Hinata running down the street earlier." Anko drew a wicked looking short sword off of her back. No one thought it strange that she had the weapon with her, dressed as she was in her party attire. "I thought he must be drunk, telling a tale like that. Looks like he was right." She licked her lips, looking at Naruto. "The big question is why was she running."

"Or from whom," Kurenai added. "Did _he_ do that to your skirt?" Kurenai wheeled to get Naruto in her sights. Her hands were poised to work hand seals. "If he did, it will be the last mistake he makes."

Naruto began feeling very hot. Hot as in sweaty, and hot as in royally steamed. Just what kind of trouble had Hinata gotten him into? And, why was everyone so willing to jump to conclusions?"

"Let me take a look at those wounds, Hinata." Shizune took her medical bag off of her hip. "Everything will be OK."

"I have a wound, too." Naruto had practically forgotten about his scalp injury. Just the same, he felt a bit perturbed, seeing that no one was asking how _he_ was.

"Wounds?" Sakura stepped to the forefront again. "Torn skirt?" Her face turned scarlet. "A pub?" She looked at Naruto. Her eyes narrowed as she added the clues together. "To think I ever thought of you as a friend!" She put her hand to her forehead. "It's a good thing I didn't go to the dance with you, _isn't_ it!" She turned her back on him "You you…you _loser!"_

After that, Hinata was so deluged with questions that she couldn't answer a single one of them. But, her silence also stemmed from the fact that she was getting more upset by the moment. Sakura's comments had left her with a strong sense of injustice. If anyone there should know Naruto's true character, it should be his teammate. And, after the way she had treated him tonight, it was all doubly unfair.

About to tell Sakura that she was wrong, Hinata bit her lip. She thought of something that would be truly delicious. The problem was, she was hardly the one to pull it off. But why? Why couldn't she at least try?

"Will everyone please be quiet?" That forcefulness behind that question had everyone shocked. Hyuuga Hinata, acting like that? They immediately assumed it must be the alcohol speaking.

"…" Naruto opened his mouth to back Hinata up. He stopped, shocked to see her wink at him. What was she planning on doing? It better not be anything that left his balls hanging from a kunai.

"It's true," Hinata said calmly. "I was at a bar with Naruto." She trembled, purposefully. "It's also true that I ran away from him." She would do this by being entirely factual. Out of context, some of what she reported might seem damning. She had to hope her friends wouldn't react until she had a chance to finish. "Owww…." She flinched when Shizune applied an antiseptic to her hand. It really stung. "And he _did_ chase after me."

"I never would have expected something like this," Shizune said. She handed a roll of bandages to Sakura, letting her finish up. "He would have been the last one I would ever think might…." She couldn't bring herself to look at Naruto. She had thought so highly of him.

"He'll be the last one to do anything like that." Anko freaked a number of girls out by licking her tongue along the edge of a wicked looking knife. "He will serve as a fine example."

"My shoes broke…." Hinata continued, feeling a lump in her throat when noticed Anko's antics. "My skirt was torn…." She leaned against a wall. Ten Ten and Ino moved to support her, before drawing weapons. A number of other girls did the same, some of whom Naruto hadn't ever met personally. "It… it was… it was horrible…."

"But…." Naruto tried to offer something in his own defense. Yes had seen the wink; but, he _also_ saw the kunai… shuriken… short sword… flower shears… and a long knife covered with cake icing.

"Clones…." Hinata let her knees buckle on purpose. "There were so many clones." She wanted to give Naruto another reassuring wink, since his eyes had grown a bit wild. But, that might give her act away. "They… they were… they were all doing what he was doing…." She closed her eyes. Her voice came out in a whisper. "I did my best… but I couldn't stop them…."

"It's good that there are cells open at the prison," Kurenai remarked, her voice dripping with anger. "Maybe they'll put him in the room that the warden reserved for Orcochimaru, before the Uchiha boy killed him." By the sound of it, she was already equating Naruto's imagined sins with the Sannin's evil legacy.

"You traitor." That was Sakura. Despite Sasuke's defection from the Leaf… his training with a dangerous enemy of the village… and his attempt to kill his former teammates when they caught up with him… she had never used that word for _him. _"How could you…."

"It's your fault, Sakura." Hinata wasn't proud of the resentment that she felt towards the pink-haired girl. But, the medical ninja had hurt Naruto. She wasn't standing by him now, when his very nature was being called in question. "You're to blame." Sure, in a sense, she owed the other kunoichi a debt of gratitude. Without her callous treatment of Naruto, the night would have gone as it had. But, gratitude only goes so far.

"What?" Sakura froze. Everyone went quiet and looked at her. Everyone one but Anko, who had a blade at Naruto's neck. "_Me? _How…."

"All Naruto w-wanted to d-do, was go to the d-dance with you. After all that he's done for the village… you couldn't d-do that one thing?"

"I…." Sakura didn't like the sudden turn of events. Why did it seem that she was the one on trial now?

"Hmmmpppfff. I always thought that big forehead girls were insensitive." Ino couldn't resist getting a little dig in. The habit was hard to break.

"That doesn't excuse anything," Ten Ten insisted, looking back at Naruto.

"No… it certainly does _not_." Kurenai was ready to ask one of the girls to call for a squad of Keimu Butai.

"He's your teammate…." Hinata continued speaking directly to Sakura. "He has always been there for you, even before you became good friends." Hinata had always envied that closeness. "He saved your life many times…." Hinata reached down, making an effort to pull the torn edges of her skirt closer together. "You couldn't spare him the smallest bit of kindness."

"But…." Sakura didn't like the way that the other girls were looking at her in disapproval.

It was Naruto's turn to get in on Hinata's game. He rested his head against the wall, causing Anko's blade to draw a tiny bead of blood. "Sak-u-ra-chan…." He closed his eyes and sighed.

"You could have turned him down, politely…." Hinata had to hold back a smile. That would ruin everything. But, Naruto looked so pitiful. He was a great actor. She'd have to remember that in the future! "You… you _laughed _at him…." She shook her head. "All he wanted was a little attention. All he wanted to do was dance. What would that have cost you?"

"I…" Sakura held her hands up, as if she was pleading with a jury. "It was Naruto…." That explanation didn't go over well, despite the way that the other girls might feel about the village's loudest ninja. "I… I thought he was just joking…." She didn't buy her own explanation.

"All the th-things that happened to m-me were your fault, S-S-Sakura." Hinata's voice brought tears to one girl's eyes. "Everything." She brought her hands to her chest. "You d-don't know what I w-went through. "There's only one more thing I have to say…." She watched as Sakura cringed. "Thank you very much."

"I didn't mean to…." Sakura stopped. Her eyes went wide. "_What _did you say?"

"Whaaa-aa-at?" Many of the other girls spoke up at the same time.

Hinata took a deep breath, and then let it out. Trying to look bolder than she felt, she walked over and moved Anko's knife away from Naruto's skin. She then took his hand in her own.

"Hinata?" Shizune tried to work her way through things. She examined Naruto's face, wondering if this was some kind of elaborate prank. If it was, it was one in bad taste. Was it possible the girl was covering for him? Did she somehow feel it was her own fault?

They still needed to get to the bottom of things!

"I'm very tired," Hinata said. "And I'm still sore. I would like to sit down." She headed for the room, Naruto in tow. "Come on, Naruto-kun." Hinata shifted her grip to his arm and led him inside. Her legs felt very weak, but she had gained another measure of respect for herself.

Everyone else followed, protesting that a boy had no place in the girl's dorm. Hinata politely told them that they needed to let him stay, if they wanted her to tell them the full story. Against their better judgment, the other kunoichi agreed.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like they were safe now. He had been worried for a while there. But, the stress and strain had been worth it. Hinata had burned Sakura big time, better than he could have hoped to do.

_His relaxation was premature._

"Hinata… I know that you are very loyal…." Kurenai stood in front of her seated. "And we all know that you don't always hold yourself in high enough regard…." She looked down at Naruto, meeting his gaze, trying to see if he might react in a way that shed light on the situation. "I hope you're not going to take the blame on yourself. Promise me that you won't make up some kind of story to protect… him…."

"Ummm…." Hinata looked very determined. She didn't shrink away from her sensei's tone of voice. "Have I ever lied to you before, Kurenai-sensei?"

"You don't have to make up a story to preserve your reputation." Shizune stood next to Kurenai. "I assure you… if you _are _a victim… you have nothing to be ashamed of."

Anko walked over and sat on a couch leg, right next to Naruto. She pulled out one of his hairs, and then split it lengthwise with her sword. "Everyone knows how obsessed you've been with the boy," she said.

"Did he threaten you, warning you not to tell the truth?" Ten Ten placed a scroll on the floor, lining it with kunai and small sickles.

"Are suffering from shock and denial?" Ino walked over and looked into Hinata's eyes. She felt her pulse, then put a hand on her forehead. She wanted to show Sakura that her field medical training had some value.

"Hey gang, what's going on here?" That was a new voice. One that they were all very familiar with. "I thought that you would do me the courtesy of waiting before you started gossiping!"

It was Tsunade.

Naruto figured he might as well strike first. He would be in big trouble as soon as the Hokage caught sight of him. "Hey, Old Lady!" He had to shout over the din of the girls, each of whom tried to give a report to the Hokage. "You _really_ need to work on the etiquette curriculum. These girls have all been threatening me!"

Tsunade's eyes went wide. She simply shook her head in disbelief. _Now_ what was Naruto up to?

"Really? Is there a _reason_ for threats? No. I have better question." Tsunade frowned. "Why… are… you… here…." Everyone spoke up at once again. The Hokage shushed them with a hand motion. After asking Kurenai for a brief synopsis, she went straight to the point. "Hyuuga Hinata! Did Naruto try to take advantage of you?"

"No, Ma'am." Hinata stood up. She walked over, and stood in front of Naruto, as if she could shield him from any further consequences. He was there at her insistence, after all.

"I believe her," the Hokage said. She was a very good judge of posture and body reactions. Hinata didn't show any signs of someone dissembling or denying. She leaned to the side to look past the girl. Naruto didn't look guilty. Worried, yes. Guilty, no. As tricky as he might be, he could never get a lie past her. Something always gave him away.

"Tsunade," Shizune said. She wanted to make certain that the Hokage's feelings for Naruto didn't get in the way. She doubted that would happen; but, she couldn't take any chances. "We're both very fond of Naruto. But… if something _did _happen… we can't let our feelings blind us to the truth."

"Look at Hinata's condition." Ino was surprised to see how many small scrapes and bruises the other girl had, after Hinata removed her coat. She had been inside during the worst parts of the storm. She had no idea just how brutal the conditions had been.

"And her clothing," Ten Ten added. She found it hard to believe that things could be in that much disrepair by accident.

"I could… ah-hem…." Shizune cleared her throat. "I _could_ perform the virginity exam…."

Naruto swallowed hard. He placed his hands over his crotch area. "W-Will that h-hurt?"

"Not for _you_, moron!" Sakura stomped her foot.

"I don't think that is necessary, Shizune." Tsunade shook her head. "I think we can trust Hinata."

"Hey!" Naruto stood up. "How about trusting _me?"_ His pride stung a bit.

"It might be wise if you sat down and stayed quiet." Tsunade locked gazes with Naruto. "We still don't know where you fit into everything." She held up one finger. He would know exactly what that meant. "Trouble seems to follow you closer than your shadow!"

"Tsunade. We need to be sure." Kurenai still looked worried, even though she had long admired the Hokage's wisdom. "This isn't a normal situation. Hinata isn't the kind of girl to go to a bar and get drunk. She isn't in the habit of running down the street, chased by someone even more drunk." She pointed. "Her clothes didn't come off the rack looking like that."

"Oh?"Tsunade raised an eyebrow, looking at Hinata. "So… Hinata… did it work?" She smiled, seeing the girl blush.

Hinata nodded her head. It hadn't been her plan, but it _had_ worked out in the end.

"Hmmm." The Hokage tapped on one cheek with a finger. "I see… it might be best if I let Shizune examine you after all." Her comment had Hinata blinking rapidly. The other girls began whispering amongst themselves.

"B-… B-… But…." Hinata stammered.

"Shizune… how are you at psychoanalysis?" The Hokage grinned. When the other kunoichi understood the joke, they all began laughing.

"Hey. What's so damn funny?!" Naruto's question had everyone laughing even louder.

The mood in the room changed for the better. Everyone felt relieved; but, they still weren't willing to absolve Naruto of blame. He must be guilty of _something._ This was a good time to pay him back, whatever his crime. And, no matter what brought him here, he was still on _their_ turf!

"_You_ are," Ino said, smirking. She took up a nice guy pose. She imitated his voice and look perfectly. "I'm going to be Hokage."

"I'm going to be Ho… ka… geee-ee-e…." Ten Ten began to snicker behind her hand.

Naruto clenched his fists. He looked over at Tsunade, who just smiled and shrugged.

"Hokage… Hokage… Hokage…" Sakura said with a toss of her hair. "Do you know how many times I've had to hear that? _Do_ you?"

Naruto furrowed his brows. Who was _she_ to complain? How many times had he been forced to hear 'Sasuke-kun… Sasuke-kun… Sasuke-kun?"

The girls took the ball and ran with it. Soon they moved from the whole issue of Hokage onto the topic of Ramen. Some of the partygoers brought up the orange and black outfit. One girl went as far as to reference Naruto's father, saying the late hero had been Konoha's Yellow Flash, and that Naruto would probably become Konoha's Yellow Flasher.

Naruto put his hands together… stretched out his arms… and cracked his knuckles. He looked over at Hinata. After a short debate with herself, Hinata nodded her head.

"**BWA… HA… HA…HA…**_**HAAA-AA-AH!"**_

Naruto smiled, put his hands behind his head, then leaned back. Kicking aside a bread bowl filled with hummus, he placed his boots up on the coffee table. "You girls are all so _very_ funny. I mean that. You're a riot!"

The girls all turned to give Naruto the eye. They should have known that he wouldn't simply take things lying down.

"Seeing how I'm way too stupid to _ever_ be Hokage…." Naruto unconsciously fingered the necklace he had won from Tsunade. "… I have some questions for you girls. He pursed his lips and scanned the room. Nodding his head, he said "Let's start with you… Miss Yamanaka." That sounded so formal. Good.

"Leave me out of your childish attempts to get back at us." Ino stuck her nose in the air.

"If you say so," Naruto replied, smiling a big smile. "I was going to ask if you happened to know how Shikamaru compares you to Temari?"

"**OOOOO-OOOO-OOO-OO-O-OO-OOOH-H-H-H-H-H"**

The girls all crowded close to Naruto. Suddenly, they weren't so eager to boot him out the door. They were all slaves to gossip. All except for Hinata.

"Not that he thinks there's really much comparison, actually." Naruto waved his hand in dismissive fashion. "Sorry.Better luck next boyfriend…." Everybody was laughing _with _him this time.

Ino picked up the bowl of hummus, but put it down. As Naruto turned to smile at Hinata, the blue-eyed girl worked the hand seals necessary for Shinranshin No JutsuTaking control of Naruto, she had him stand up and slap himself in the face, even though that action caused her own cheek to hurt, too. It was apropos. Shikamaru was a very sore subject with her.

"Well," Naruto rubbed his aching jaw. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you're the violent type." He looked around the room. "I hope none of you other girls approved of that." He tried to ignore Anko, who had raised her hand. "That's_ not_ the type of girlfriends most guys might like. Hmmm. I wonder if _that's_ part of it."

"If what is part of what," Sakura asked. As long as Naruto was focused on Ino, he could say anything he wanted.

"Well…" Naruto looked torn, as if he was deciding whether or not to spill the beans. "I guess I can tell you guys…." He grinned. He was not about to let something like truth get in his way. "Shikamaru refers to one girl as a cold fish."

"Which one! Which one!" The girls were really into this now.

"He calls the other girl a hot tamale. I guess there is no connection between any of that and a nickname I heard…." Naruto rubbed his chin. "Hot Temari…."

Ino's mouth fell open. Her eyes glazed over. She pictured Shikamaru alone with the Sand kunoichi.

"Careful!" Naruto chuckled. "Someone might want to put a hook in that mouth!"

"I don't always approve of Naruto," Sakura said "But that was wonderful…… hook…… ha… ha… hahaha!"

"That's not very funny," Ten Ten remarked. "I doubt Naruto is telling the truth."

"Oh really… Miss…." Naruto looked like he was confused. "What _is_ your last name, any way. I mean… is Ten your first name and last name? Or, is Ten Ten your fist name? Or.…" He snapped his fingers, and then put his hands up on his head, cupped to look like animal ears, making reference to the girl's trademark hair buns. "Would that stand for October tenth? Do they name pandas after the day they're captured in the wild?"

One girl that Naruto was unfamiliar snickered. She could never do anything with her own hair.

Before Ten Ten could offer a rebuttal, Naruto slid in his next barb. "By the way, would you like to know how Neji considers _you_…."

"**OOOOO-OOOO-OOO-OO-O-OO-OOOH-H-H-H-H-H"**

"Well… he… I… we're not… ummm…." Ten Ten looked very pale. She had done her best to keep her crush on Neji a secret.

"He doesn't consider you very often, apparently!" Naruto laughed. "He must like the kind… forgiving… considerate type." He looked the girl up and down, and then shrugged. "Bummer!"

Kunai sprung up from the floor like iron weeds. Naruto was forced to hop about, spinning, and swerving to avoid being struck.

"Surprisingly nimble on his feet," Shizune remarked to Tsunade.

"Yes," Tsunade replied. "Isn't he." She wondered if she should put an end to this nonsense. Looking over at Hinata, she saw the young woman looking at Naruto in rapt concentration. No, not yet. She'd let it go a little longer.

"Just for that," Naruto said after Ten Ten had run out of deadly implements. "I won't tell you the name of the girl he _is_ interested in!" There was none. At least, none that he knew of. "You should set your hopes on Bushy Eyebrows, instead. He's a nice guy. One of these days, he'll come to his senses and forget the girl he's crushing on now."

"Who? Who is it? Tell us!" The girls were practically stepping on one another, trying to be the first to get the scoop.

"Well… back at the Chuunin exams…." Naruto looked over at Sakura. He remembered her leaping all over the place like a spastic jackrabbit, as if she were dodging scores of imaginary kissy hearts. "He _did_ tell Sakura that he loved her…."

"**OOOOO-OOOO-OOO-OO-O-OO-OOO-OOOOH-H-H-H-H-H"**

"But… that…." Sakura looked disgusted. "I don't…."

"You girls shouldn't get yourself all worked up. This is supposed to be a party, right?" Kurenai put a hand on Sakura's shoulder and shook her head. "Don't pay things too much attention. And… remember the source…." She hadn't meant that as a condemnation of Naruto. Rather, it was her way of saying 'he's a habitual prankster.'

"Huh?" Naturally, Naruto took it the wrong way. He scratched his head and made a face. "Well… Kurenai-sensei… there's something that you ought to pay attention too." He didn't like being disrespectful to Jounin. But, he also didn't like being made little of. "You should remember to wipe the lipstick off of Kakashi's cheek."

"**OOOOO-OOOO-OOO-OO-O-OO-OOO-OOOOH-H-H-H-H-H"**

"But… I didn't really…." She hunched her shoulders, hating the fact that she felt a need to defend herself. "It was just…." It truly had been nothing more than a quick kiss of thanks. But, those chatty girls would be talking it up for days, if not weeks.

Hinata looked over at Naruto and shook her head. Naruto smiled, but stopped when she narrowed her eyes. She also gave him a subtle wag of her finger.

"What!" Naruto stuck out his lower lip, speaking to Hinata. After she mouthed 'be nice,' he stood silently a moment, sighed, and nodded his head.

Tsunade smiled.

"Well, aren't you going to say something rude or nasty about _me_, Naruto?" Sakura had decided that she would be a target sooner or later. Like Naruto earlier, she figured that she could handle things better on the offensive. Naruto opened his mouth, but shut it again. That had her folding her arms across her chest as if she had just won an argument.

"What's there to say?" Naruto asked. "Does anyon_e_ here actually pay any attention to Miss Haruno?" When Sakura's face began clouding over, Naruto's gaze wandered around the room as he looked for a source of inspiration.

He smiled.

On one end table, covered by a nice quilted cloth, a potted plant sat. It had long streamers of pink blossoms trailing down to the rough oaken floor. Walking over to the table, he carefully picked up the plant and set it over his hair like a wig. He imitated Sakura's voice. "Sasuke-kun…oh, Sasuke-kun… Sasuke-_kuuuuuu-uuuu-uuu-uu-un_.…"

At first there was dead silence. Then, the room exploded with laughter.

"**HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH"**

"I don't usually approve of Naruto," Ino said, imitating Sakura's prior statement. "But, that was _sooo-oo-o _good."

Sakura looked over at Hinata. "So, Hinata… are _you_ going to get in on the fun, too…." Why did she have to bring Naruto here, any way? Was it because he helped her after she received her mysterious injuries?

"No," Hinata replied. "I already had my fun tonight…." The words had slipped out. Then, unable to help herself, she looked over at Naruto.

"Huh?" Sakura looked over at Naruto. Then, she looked back at Hinata. Then, Naruto again. "You _can't _be saying… no…." The other girls quickly picked up on the theme.

"Hinata… you couldn't have actually… kissed him… could you?" Ten Ten's eyes were wide. She dropped a chip she was about to bite into.

"Ugh!"Ino wrinkled her nose. "That would be like kissing a brother!"

"A stupid… noisy… clueless brother…." Sakura began shivering for effect.

"Hey! I am _not_ clueless!" Naruto hung his head immediately after speaking. When was he going to learn to control his tongue? He hade tacitly agreed to being stupid and noisy.

"**HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH"**

"Very very funny!" Naruto said. He looked over at Hinata and smiled. "They're probably all jealous."

Ino spit out some tea she had just sipped. Ten Ten let a kunai drop, coming close to spearing herself in her big toe. A number of girls who were sitting fell off of her seats. A few who were standing laughed so hard that they had to sit down.

"**BWA… BWA… HAH HAH HAH HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH"**

Anko, on the other hand, smiled. She stood up… put down the wine glass she had been holding… and walked over to the food area. Unseen, she plucked something off of the grill and headed towards Naruto, one hand behind her back. She spoke with a slow sultry drawl. "You're right, Naruto."

Everyone went dead quiet. When Anko became involved, things became unpredictable. Not only that, but there was always the threat of danger.

The jounin swayed her hips in an exaggerated rocking motion, then pressed herself up against a startled and discomforted Naruto. "It doesn't matter what those silly little girls think. I want you. I have _always_ wanted you. I have a curse seal. You have a sealed demon. We're perfect together…." She put her hand on Naruto's waistline. "Take me now!"

Hinata dropped a cracker she was stacking. A cheese cube bounced across the coffee table, landing in a bowl of dip.

Anko yanked hard, pulling Naruto's waistband to its greatest diameter. She then dropped a fried squid down the startled chuunin's pants.

The room stayed as silent as a tomb for one moment more. Then, it exploded into laughter louder than before.

"**OOOOOO-OOOOO-OOOO-OOO-OO-OH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH ."**

Naruto's eyes bulged. The squid had been taken right off of a small grill. There was steam leaking up and out of his pants.

Hinata stood up.

"Hyuuga Hinata!" Kurenai's voice rang out. "If you even _look _like you are going to try and help him with that, I will personally tie you up and drop you off at your father's doorstep!"

Naruto glanced over at Anko, whose smile was clearly a challenge. No, her smile went beyond challenge. That smug look could only mean she didn't think he would have the nerve to respond. There was no way he was going to back down. He began to pull down on his zipper.

"Uzumaki Naruto…." It was Tsunade's voice. "Don't even think about it!"

"But… she…_she_…." Naruto glared at the Hokage.

Tsunade held up one finger again. She wasn't about to perform that technique inside. The gesture was merely intended to remind the boy that he was no match for her.

"Hah. Women always stick together," Naruto grumped. The squid could wait. "Slimy little sucker," he said, moving around uncomfortably, looking down at the bulge in his pants. "Or… should I say sucker_s_." He laughed. "It's appropriate, I guess. Granny Tsunade is called the Legendary Sucker." He thumbed his nose at the Hokage, and then switched his attention back to the jounin. "But… hearing the jounin guys talk… I think that nickname better fits Anko!" He pointed to where the squid was.

"**OOOOO-OOOO-OOO**-"

A number of girls began making noises, but their friends quickly shushed them. Things could get very ugly as it was. A pin drop would have sounded as loud as an exploding kunai.

"You know… I think you need a haircut." Anko drew her sword. "To make it simple, I'll just make one big cut… just below your chin!"

Naruto smiled, and then began forming Rasengan. "Bring it on, babe!"

Hinata jumped up and hopped over the table. She intended to protect Naruto, no matter what it took. Anko gave her the willies, but she was not going to back down.

"Anko!" It was Tsunade again.

"But… he… _he_…." Anko shook her sword at Naruto.

Hinata stood between Naruto and Anko, her arms held out away from her side.

"Good girl!" Tsunade said to Hinata. "At least _someone _has a level head."

"Head?" Naruto grinned an evil word, a euphemism coming to mind. " Hmmm. If what the guys say is true… Anko's head is often level." He didn't care about the risk. "_Belt_ level!"

"Behave, Naruto-kun!" Hinata said.

"This isn't over yet…… fox boy…." Anko clenched and unclenched her hands. She put the sword on her back. "Mark… my… words…."

"Oh?" Naruto raised one eyebrow. Then, he smirked. "You're absolutely right!" He pulled down his fly, took out the squid, and tossed it to the dark-haired jounin. "Go for it!"

Anko surprised everybody then. She smiled. She actually smiled. "You've got a lot of nerve. Maybe too much for your own good." She fluffed her hair. "I like that." She tossed the squid in the air, then cut it into numerous perfect slices with her sword. "By the way, the rumors are _not_ true." She blew him a kiss. "But… for the right guy…."

Naruto went numb. That was the scariest thing he had seen or heard all night! Hinata grabbed his arm and pulled him to the opposite end of the room.

"I know why you and I came back to Konoha, Tsunade." Shizune sighed. "But remind me why we brought Naruto back?"

Tsunade sat quietly for a brief moment, and then smiled. "For Hinata."

Hinata felt herself growing warm in the toes. That warmth quickly ascended upwards, like the mercury in old-fashioned thermometers. All of the girls began whistling.

"Hey!" Naruto put his hands behind his head and laughed. "Who would have thought that a woman Hokage could get something right?" He smirked, watching as the vein at Tsunade's temple begin throbbing. "Especially one who is rough… selfish… loose with money… easily pissed off… and stupid." He had used those same words the night following their battle with Kabuto, Orochimaru, and Manda. He toyed with the necklace again.

"**OOOOOOOO-OOOOOOO-OOOOOO-OOOOO-OOOO-OOO-OO-OH"**

"That's it,brat!!!" Tsunade stood up, nearly knocking over a long low table covered with food. "Let's take this outside."

Shizune shook her head, struck by a feeling of déjà vu. Just what was Tsunade up to _this _time?

Naruto followed the Hokage as she stormed out of the room. Hinata ran after him. All of the others girls rushed to keep up as well, some carrying cups, bowls, and plates with them. The party was on the move. Nobody wanted to miss whatever might happen.

On the way through the hallways, the other young women laughed and joked with Hinata, teasing her. That didn't upset the white-eyed girl. On the contrary, for the first time, she felt as if she were really part of the group.

Sakura was still a bit sore at Hinata's earlier trick. "I know that Naruto isn't very bright," she said. "But I thought you were clever enough to stay out of trouble."

Naruto frowned as he followed Tsunade. He didn't mind people making fun of him. He was used to it. But, it didn't feel right, someone picking on a girl as sweet as Hinata. He tried to think of a way to return the favor. Ah! Sakura was the slug to his frog and Sasuke's snake. Perfect!

"An obnoxious pink-haired snail goes into a bar and orders a beer_." _Naruto made certain to name the hair color. He did not want to get on Tsunade's or Katsuyu's bad side. "The barman says 'Sorry, we don't serve snails,' and throws her out. A couple of weeks later the snail goes into the bar again and says 'Hey, what did you do that for'?" He laughed. "Not to imply that Sakura is _slow_ or anything…." He was implying mentally slow, not physically.

Hinata giggled. Ino applauded. The other girls laughed. Sakura fumed, and then decided to try her own joke. Hers would be a lot more sophisticated, of course.

"One day, a noisy, stupid, and blonde Inzanagi sat looking up at the heavens, eating a bowl of ramen, wondering about men and women. He said, 'Excuse me Ame-no-Minaka-Nushi-no-Mikoto…… Takamai-Musubi-no-Mikoto… and Kammi-Musubi-no-Mikoto… I have a question'." Sakura sighed when most of the other girls didn't recognize those names. "The three creating deities replied as one: 'Go on Izanagi, but be quick. We have a world to create'."

"Are you going to get to the punch line any time soon," Naruto quipped. "I don't have as much time as the barman had. Old Lady Tsunade needs to be taught a lesson before she ends up in an old folks home!" He grinned when the girls laughed again.

"I certainly hope that _someone_ gets what he deserves," Sakura said before finishing her joke. "Inzanagi says, 'When you created white-eyed and finger rubbing Inzanami, why did you make her body so curvy and tender unlike mine?' 'We did that, Inzanagi, so that you could love her.''Oh, well then, why did you give her shiny, beautiful hair, and not me?' 'We did that Inzanagi so that you could love her.' 'Oh, well then, why did you make her so stupid? Certainly not so that I could love her?' 'Well Inzanagi, we did that so that _she_ could love _you_'."

That was a pretty good zinger. Sakura waited for her applause; but, it never came. Naruto spoke up immediately. "You see, Hinata. _That's_ what happens when you have a crush on a guy who doesn't even know you're alive… who thinks you're worthless part of the team… and who then leaves the village to train with some guy who has a snake for his tongue..."

"Really, Naruto-kun?" Hinata's eyes were full of life.

"Believe it!" Naruto grinned. "Because I chose to scratch his forehead protector instead of killing him, Sasuke had me dead to rights. "Do you now what saved my life?"

"What, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.

"He could never have returned to the village if he killed me," Naruto said. "He told me it didn't matter, because he had a reason why he could never go back. Do you know what that reason was?"

"No," Hinata replied.

"It was Sakura," Naruto said. "I told him that he would never have to date her. That's probably why he let me live. I gave him a Promise of a Lifetime."

"I see…." Hinata pretended to believe that. She grinned.

"Jerk!" Sakura grumped. She glowered at the girls who were laughing.

"OK, Naruto, let's go while we're both young." Tsunade nodded towards the front door. Naruto just stood still, humming. "Well?" She put her hands on her hips.

"You said while we're _both_ young," Naruto quipped.

"**OOOOOOOO-OOOOOOO-OOOOOO-OOOOO-OOOO-OOO-OO-OH"**

Tsunade grew very angry for a moment, twitching. Then, she smiled. "Big talk… for such a little boy." She walked over to the door and opened it. Waving her arm, she motioned for Naruto to step outside first.

He did so.

Immediately thereafter, the door slammed behind him. He could hear locks turning. "Stay out of the girl's dormitory!" The Hokage's voice carried through the thick door.

Naruto hated to be on the other end of a burn. But, he had to admit, Tsunade got him good. It was certainly a trick he could admire. He thought about waiting to see if Hinata came to the window to wave good night; but, discretion is the better part of valor. The guard caught sight of him. She called for her fellow shinobi.

He thought about heading back to his room. There were cups of instant noodles waiting for him. After that, he could have a warm shower, put on his night cap, and hit the sack.

The thought of his pajama-ware brought to mind a nightcap of a different kind. There was another place he could go, and a good reason to do so. Before long, he found himself standing outside of Inari's Pub. From now on, this place would hold a very important place in his heart, even if he never had another drink

He went inside. Every who had been there before shouted "NARUTO!" They all wanted to know if he had caught up to Hinata. Some wanted to know if he had ever run across Sakura again that night. He bought everyone a round of drinks, and began telling them his story.

"So… don't you want some Sake, young master?" The barkeep smiled. "I have a bottle of Habu Sake. It's not really Sake, but awamori. It's rather good." He showed Naruto the bottle. There was a snake coiled up inside. "The poison dissolves in alcohol, and poses no risk."

"No thank you," Naruto said. The last thing he wanted to do was have anything to do with snakes. But, maybe he should buy a bottle and mail it to Sakura!

"I find I no longer have reason to drink." As he got deeper into his retelling of the night's events, the bartender tapped him on the shoulder.

"How about some of _this_. On me…." The older man held out a bottle of champagne. "It sounds like you have something to celebrate."

"Sure." Naruto was very touched. He wished that Hinata could be there to drink a toast with him. As he began to sip his champagne, someone put on a song that he had heard earlier that night.

_**You can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
You can't always get what you want  
But if you try sometimes well you just might find  
You get what you need**_

"Yes," he said, swinging his glass towards the jukebox as if in response to someone's toast.

"I have something else for you," the bar owner said. "They were left in my care by the woman who sat two stools from your right." Naruto looked where the man pointed. That was where the origami woman had been sitting. "She said to give these to you, if you came to your senses. This one was for you, if you broke free of your desire to get drunk." The man placed a yellow crane on the bar top.

Yellow.

_Freedom. Joy._

"You were to get this one, if you came to see that your heart didn't actually belong with the pink-haired girl." The barkeep put a pink crane next to the yellow.

Pink

_Happiness. Tenderness_.

"I almost threw them all away," the man admitted. He smiled, and then poured the last of the champagne into Naruto's glass. "You were only to be given _this_ one… if by some miracle… you could discover something special right under your own nose." By that, the woman had obviously meant Hinata.

Naruto looked at the third crane.

Dark Crimson.

_Soul mates. Connections with words._

"Thank you," Naruto said. "I'll also want to find time to thank her, as well." As he sat there, he kept turning the origami over in his hands. He smiled, thinking of Hinata. Could she indeed be the one he needed all along?

No. That wasn't the important question. Could she be the one that he needed from now on? He didn't know the answer. How _could_ he? Especially this soon! But, miracle of miracles, he realized that he wanted to find out.

Passing his glass over to the barkeep, he told the man good bye. Whistling and waving, he did the same to the other patrons. There was something he wanted to do now. No matter what might happen. Regardless of how much trouble he might get into.

He was going to tell Hinata good night. He was going to show her the cranes. Anyone who tried to stand in his way would be in for a world of hurt.

"Hinata," he said, smiling.


	8. Two, reunited

**A/N:**

_This is _not_ a new chapter._

_The story has been reworked slightly. One chapter grew to such a length that it needed to be split into two._

_But, there is a ninth and new chapter in the works, for those who are interested._

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

The echoes from the loud impact were fading now.

Large amphibian footprints marked the soft lawn surrounding the girl's dormitory. The cause of those deep marks stood with pipe askew, somewhat unhappy at being called for this kind of thing.

"**IF YOU ARE GOING TO WASTE MY TIME**…."

Gama-Bunta, the largest of all toads, blew huge rings of smoke from his mouth. The wavering circles passed over Naruto, as he backed away from a large glass door.

"I'm Sorry!" Naruto was not speaking to the Boss Frog. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…." His words were directed to a group of pajama-clad girls whose balcony he jumped off onto. They were all screaming and shouting, their curtain drawn tight. "Wrong room!"

"**YOU SHOULD AT LEAST GET THINGS RIGHT…."**

The massive creature had resigned himself to helping. He was there, anyway. And, he did owe the boy a great deal. They had made a pact, and had finally found the time to make things official, sharing the traditional drink. More importantly, he had saved one of his sons from Shukaku, back before the sand spirit had been captured by Akatsuki. However, after this indignity, they were even. And then some!

"Hey! Oyabun!" Naruto leaped off the porch, expecting the Boss Frog to catch him with his tongue. Instead, he found himself plummeting all the way down, landing up to his knees in mud that overflowed from one humongous footprint. "Thanks a lot!" He smacked himself on the butt, as a rude and indolent gesture. "I couldn't help it. I've never seen the room from outside. It must be the one over there." He pointed to another room at the back corner of the building.

"**NEITHER JIRAIYA NOR MINATO WERE **_**THIS**_** STUPID…."**

Gama-Bunta swiveled one giant eye to the side, catching sight of a startled group of guards. He had no way of knowing that they were the same women that had been hunting for Naruto earlier that evening. But, he wouldn't be surprised one bit, had someone clued him into that fact.

"I'm not stupid!" Naruto shook a fist at the hulking monstrosity. He still showed the same spunk that he exhibited that memorable day, back when the Ero-Sennin had tossed him into a deep ravine. "Big… ugly… smelly… frog!" He obviously wasn't a big proponent of the 'win more friends with honey instead of vinegar' theory. He ducked. Some of the braver girls had run and picked up sundry items. They were now throwing them down at him.

"**SHOULD WE ASK **_**THEM **_**ABOUT YOUR INTELLIGENCE**…."

Gama-Bunta pointed his large head towards the girls. Those kunoichi had been so focused on Naruto, that they never actually realized what kind of monster stood impatiently outside their domicile. A number of the girls fainted. One stalwart soul ran to find a camera.

"Any way… any way, Oyabun…." Naruto yelped when he was struck on the head with a frying pan. A frying pan! That was like something out of one of those clichéd children's cartoons. "Just one more time… I'm sure it's_ that_ room." A fresh welt was rising on his scalp, right next to his cut from before.

With a chuckle that rumbled like thunder, the giant frog tapped his pipe against a large oak, and then vanished, heading back to whence he came. A vast cloud of smoke rolled across the campus like an enveloping fog.

"Bastard frog!" Naruto kicked at the dented frying pan. He needed to find a way up to the other balcony, before the disordered guards got their act together. Right! That would work! He began working hand seals, realizing that there were people at every window in the dormitory.

_So much for anonymity._

Moving quickly, he created a large number of shadow clones. With short curt commands, he directed them to form a huge human pyramid. Their work done, he climbed up to his targeted destination, leaping to another sheltered balcony. He had better be right. There wouldn't be time for a third attempt.

Someone had obviously noted his arrival. The curtain pulled away from the large sliding balcony door. The door slid open and Ten Ten stepped out, careful not to step on the grill that someone had put outside for the night. A number of faces appeared at the glass.

"What are _you_ doing back here?" Ten Ten looked cross. She still hadn't forgiven Naruto for his comments about Neji earlier. "Didn't the Hokage tell you to stay away from the girl's dorm!"

"I can't believe it!" Ino was brave enough to step outside, even though she was one of the kunoichi who had changed into her night clothes. "Naruto again! He's just like a bad penny…."

"_Shhhh-hhh-hh-h_… don't make so much noise…." Naruto had something that he wanted to accomplish without too much fuss. The more people that got involved, the worse his chances would be. His eyes widened. He thought of a clever line that might stop the blue-eyed girl in her tracks. "If I said I was here to get Sakura's panties… and run them up the flag poll for everyone to see…would you get them for me?" He hid a grin.

Ino's eyes narrowed at first, but then her eyes sparkled wickedly. "Would it be better if she were _still _wearing them?"

"Ino!" Ten Ten scowled, and then ran inside to officially confirm Naruto's presence.

"Well… well… well… it looks as if you guys weren't hallucinating after all." Anko stepped outside. Her cheeks were ruddy. Who knows how much she had to drink? "Ino, get back inside. You _don't _want to see this…." Anko stepped outside, spinning kunai around her index fingers. When the other girl obeyed, she turned to Naruto.

"What?" Naruto glared at Anko. His whole idea about keeping things low key evaporated. Natural instincts kicked in. "Are you expecting me to drop my drawers or something?" He thumbed his nose at her, making reference to his earlier jokes.

"There's no need," Anko remarked. "In the dark, it would probably be too small to see." She smiled at Naruto's clenched teeth. "So… I'll just make my cuts in the general vicinity…." She pointed at his crotch area with one of her weapons.

"Hah!" Naruto felt a misplaced need for bravado. "My manhood is so huge, that it probably couldn't fit on this damn balcony!" He put one foot up on a metal chair.

"Naturo-kun?" Naturally, Hinata chose that moment to come to the door. Hearing what she did, her ears turned bright red. She had been about to ask why he came back. But, her tongue felt like it was glued to the top of her mouth.

"What's going on out here?" Kurenai strode over to the door. "Hinata… why are you standing there in your pajamas? You'll catch your death of cold." She had been in the bathroom when everyone else noticed Naruto's grand entrance. Her eyes narrowed when she caught sight of Naruto.

"It's nothing much," Anko said with sly humor. "Naruto was simply telling us how big his schlong is." That out to get the other jounin's panties in a knot, pronto! "Do you think the other gals might be interested?"

"But…." Naruto's mouth opened and closed like that of a newly caught fish. "I was just…."

There is a phenomenon that occurs whenever people overhear something. The story often changes with each telling. In just that fashion, one girl's observation grew more damning with each mouth it passed from.

"Who spiked the punch?" Shizune made her way onto the crowded balcony. She was certain that someone had added rum or vodka to one of the non-alcoholic drinks. The things those girls were saying! "Someone told me that Naruto was here, trying to get Hinata to look at his penis!" She caught the white-eyed girl as she came very close to swooning.

"While she still can," Anko added, pouring fuel on the flames. She repeated her swiping motion, bringing the tips of her sharpened kunai perilously close to Naruto's trousers.

"It's not that…." Naruto held his hands up. "Hinata… tell them…." He took a step back when more girls pushed their way outside. "I'm here because… really… it's no big thing!" That wasn't exactly the best choice of words at the time.

"Naruto!" Sakura got the wrong impression. She thought that Naruto was bragging about Hinata seeing something she had no business seeing. The pervert! "You… you… you _pig!"_

"Bu_hiiii-iii-ii-i_". That indignant sound came from TonTon. Tsunade's porcine companion had felt compelled to join the part. After all, she was female too

"Oh… sorry Ton Ton…." Sakura reached down to scratch behind the pig's ear before standing up and glaring at her teammate again.

"Tell her about the panties," Ino said helpfully, wanting to see the pink-haired girl's reaction. The sarcastic look that Naruto gave her clearly said 'Don't do me any favors!'

"Panties?" Sakura's face darkened. "What panties?" She noticed Ino's smirk. "_Whose _panties!" A number of girls quickly moved behind her.

"Ino asked me to run them up the flag-pole," Naruto lied. The girl deserved it, ratting him out that way. And, while he was at it, he still didn't feel as if he had done enough to get back at Sakura. "I told her that they were probably too big. Someone might think they were a warning flag or something." He put both hands behind his neck. "It wouldn't be funny, if everyone thought the Sound was attacking again…."

"Oooo-ooo-oo-oh!" Sakura's hands curved into hooks. She didn't know who to throttle first, Ino or Naruto. The decision was made easy for her. Somewhat inebriated, Ino walked behind Sakura, grabbed hold of her waistband, and pulled her pajama pants down.

"Uhhh…." Naruto blushed. His teammate had pink undies with red hearts. He blinked repeatedly. "Bigger than I thought." He took a step back when he saw the look on Hinata's face. "I didn't look on purpose!" He waved his hands. "They're hard to miss. It's like medical ninjas have a jutsu that makes their butts big!"

Once again, he had made the wrong remark at the absolutely worst possible time.

"All of the medical ninjas in the Leaf won't be enough to put _you_ back together again." That was Tsunade. The growing ruckus had finally pulled her away from an innocent card game she had gravitated towards. "Humpty Dumpty had it easy." She was suddenly jostled by all of the girls running for shelter. "Didn't I tell you never to come back here?"

"Granny Tsunade!" Naruto decided it would be wise to change the subject. "That was a _really_ great trick earlier!" As a prankster, Naruto appreciated a good trick when he saw one. "You're not getting older, you're just getting better!" Woops. Another slip of the tongue. He had no excuse, since his body had long since burned off the remnants of the Sake he had quaffed.

_Tsunade's face looked like it was the source of the earlier storm._

"You and I need to have a talk." The Hokage moved a fist against her palm, in a grinding motion. She was not above taking the boy across her knee and giving him a spanking. He deserved that!

"That's right! We do!" He stepped backwards as far as he could, until he felt his back rub up against a cold brick wall. "If you're going to let girls drink like that, you should teach them better manners!" If he was going to get in trouble, he might as well make the most of it. He should simply have vaulted over the railing and run for his life. But, that was not his Ninja Way.

"You're hardly one to talk," the Hokage said, flexing her biceps. "Soon, you'll hardly be able to walk."

"First… Anko stuck her nose where it didn't belong…." Naruto had to speak quickly. His voice was a good bit louder than he realized. "She wanted to do something dirty!"

"You're a dead man!" That was Anko's voice. Naruto couldn't see that the fearful jounin was being restrained by a number of shinobi.

"Then…." Naruto coughed. "Then Shizune started talking about my… _you_ know… penis…."

"He's a goner, alright." Out of view, Shizune moved by force of habit. She put her hand where her poison-needle shooter usually was. She hadn't worn it.

"And Sakura…." Naruto cringed when he saw the Hokage hit the railing with her fist. The two-inch steel bent as if it were tinfoil. "Sakura was flashing her panties."

"You can't kill him." That was Sakura. She wasn't standing up for her teammate. "He won't feel enough pain that way."

"And… because of _all_ that… you accidentally made a comment about medical ninjas." Tsunade furrowed her brows. "Just like you showed up here, accidentally… _right_?" She laced her fingers together and cracked her knuckles.

"Please, Ma'am…." That was Hinata. She had bravely stepped between Naruto and the Hokage. Kurenai had placed the nearest available overcoat around her as she headed outdoors. "Don't hurt him."

"Well…" Tsunade took a couple of steps back, wanting to get a good look at Hinata's face. The girl looked determined, not frightened. Good. "He _did_ disobey my order…." She couldn't keep allowing the boy to get away with things like this. "He has some kind of punishment coming…."

""You have rounds at the clinic tomorrow," Shizune noted. "You could make an appointment for him. I know he's way too young… but… you could write orders for a prostate exam." No one could tell if she was serious or not.

"Or an enema!" That suggestion came from Ino.

"Hey!" Naruto put his hands over his backside. "That's a lot of crap!"

"Not if you have an enema," Tsunade quipped.

"Don't worry, Naruto," Sakura offered. "The procedures should go easy, since you've been acting like such a big assho-" Her angry joke was stifled by the numerous hands she found covering her mouth.

Naruto clenched his fists. He didn't like being the butt of that kind of humor, so to speak. But, since they had set the scene, he would act accordingly.

"OK. Fine." Naruto turned around to face the wall. He brought his hands down to waist level. "But… I'm busy tomorrow…." He began worked on his belt. "So… we might as well get this over with _now_…." He started to pull his pants down.

"**UZUMAKI NARUTO!"**

That shout hadn't come from the Hokage, as everyone might have expected. It didn't come from any of the jounin, either. The most vociferous chunins in the crowd had been beaten to the punch, as well.

"Huh?" Naruto stopped what he was doing. He was shocked to realize that it had been Hinata who shouted. "Hinata?"

"Would you _please_ behave, Naruto-kun?" Hinata clasped her hands together.

"Hmmm…." Naruto turned, and then realizing he hadn't pulled his trousers up, quickly rectified the situation. "OK… since you asked so sweetly…." He smiled. "You're much too cute to resist."

Some of the girls rolled their eyes. Others went 'mmmmm.' A few looked ready to hurl. Hinata simply turned pink, not bothered that she and Naruto weren't in private.

"Maybe we should all calm down a bit." That suggestion came from Kurenai. She had been shocked by Hinata's shout, too. But, that action had caused her to look at Hinata in a different light. She wasn't some helpless flower that needed protecting. She was a young woman on the verge of finding new strength within her. "If we give him a chance to do what he came here for, things can go back to normal."

"Thank you, Kurenai-sensei." Hinata gave her teacher a grateful smile.

"I'm sorry…." Naruto looked at Kurenai. His guilt from earlier antics was coming to the fore. "I'm sorry for making that comment about Kakashi earlier." That earned him a nod of the head from Hinata's sensei.

"Are you sorry about making those comments about Sakura's panties, too?" Ino was not on the same page as Kurenai, Hinata, and Naruto. All of the nonsense on the balcony had been fun.

"Yes," Naruto said, not feeling nearly as contrite as he sounded. "I'm sorry, Sakura." He fought down the strong urge to add 'I'm sorry you have to wear panties that big!'

"Wussy!" Ino pulled down on one eyelid and stuck out her tongue, just before Sakura clobbered her with a huge down-stuffed pillow. That led to a full scale pillow fight, with numerous girls joining in.

"Even when you don't mean to cause trouble…" Tsunade held her hand out and caught a number of goose feathers that managed to float outside after a couple of pillows had torn. "There still seems to _be_ trouble…." She sighed. "So… why _did _you come back here?"

Naruto looked like he was going to be rebellious again. But, when he glanced over at Hinata, he hung his head. He had put up enough of a fight. Maybe it was time to act like an adult. "I came back to say good night to Hinata," he claimed. "I didn't have the chance, earlier."

"Was there something else, too?" Tsunade kept from smiling. If she could strip away all of Naruto's foolishness and tough guy exterior, there would still the heart of a child beating within his breast. It was great to see that the pain and suffering he suffered through at such a young age hadn't left him bitter and twisted. "A good night kiss, maybe?"

The pillow fight stopped abruptly. Various comments found their ways to Naruto's and Hinata's ears. In some miraculous manner, the combatants had been able to roughhouse and listen at the same time.

"_Awwwwww-wwwww-wwww-www-ww-w_…."

"How romantic…."

"_Euuuuuu-wwwww-wwww-www-ww-w_…."

"Gag me with a spoon…."

"I think we should give them a moment of privacy," Kurenai suggested. Before, she wouldn't have left Hinata alone with Naruto unless there was a troop of guards surrounding them. But, times change. She had to let Hinata grow up. It was as simple as that.

"I agree," Tsunade said, heading back inside. She, Kurenai, and Shizune dragged a number of girls away from the glass after their breath had fogged the door. Someone drew the curtain shut.

Not trusting the girls, Naruto created a fresh batch of clones and told them to stand in front of the sliding door. He heard that door slide back open a crack.

"You have five minutes," the Hokage said. "Not a second longer."

"Do you think we should leave them a pack of condoms?" That helpful question came from Anko, of course. The door closed with more force than was necessary.

"Ummm…." Anko's comment left Hinata pixilated.

"Well…." Naruto frowned. That was a real mood breaker! Someone ought to put a muzzle on that bloodthirsty byatch! "I… uhhh…." He cleared his throat. "I wanted to say good night. And…." He reached inside his clothing, hoping everything was still in good order. "…I wanted to show you something."

"What is it?" Hinata wondered what could have possible driven Naruto to risk facing the Hokage's wrath.

"The origami lady…." Naruto found what he was after and began taking it out. "You know. The woman at Inari's." He held his hands out, cradling the paper cranes. "She left these for me. I think she meant them for you, too." He looked down at his feet. "I went back there to say good night to everyone. And to…." He didn't finish.

He didn't have to. Hinata correctly guessed why he had gone back to the pub. It had not only been to wish everyone a pleasant evening. He had anted to let everyone know how things had turned out. That made her feel special. Again.

"What do they mean?" Hinata looked at the folded paper. Naruto had placed the three origami birds on the balcony rail.

"The woman said I was to get that one if I came to my senses." He pointed to the yellow crane. "What was the meaning? Right! Freedom and Joy."

Hinata nodded.

"I was to be given _this_ one if I fondled you…." He tapped his finger on the beak of the pink crane. He winced when Hinata smacked his hand. What had come over _her?_ Had he created a monster? "OK. Alright. I'll be good. The woman said I could have this one if I began to see that my heart didn't actually belong with Sakura."

"What does the pink mean?" Hinata picked up the elegant bird.

"When it's not associated with Sakura…." Naruto tugged at one ear. "…It means Happiness and… uhhh… Tenderness."

Hinata rubbed Naruto's hand where she had smacked him. That had Naruto blinking rapidly. "The bartender _almost_ threw them all away," he said, sighing. It had been a wonderful night, but he had come _very_ close to missing out on something he never knew he wanted. No, _someone_ he never knew he wanted. "This one especially." He handed Hinata the final crane. "They all drank a toast to our getting together, do you know that?" He rubbed his head.

"Oh." Hinata felt warm inside. "What does the dark crimson mean, Naruto-kun?" Hinata stepped closer to him.

"Hmmm… it means… actually…." Naruto shuffled his feet some. Then he straightened his back and struck a pose. This was no time to be feeling shy. "Soul mates… and… Connections with words."

"I see," Hinata said. She smiled a sweet smile.

They could both hear the door slide back open. A series of popping noises could be heard after some unseen person delivered a powerful blow to the shadow clones. It was Tsunade. She tapped her watch, letting the two shinobi know that their time was up.

Naruto contemplated giving the Hokage the finger, as a gesture of defiance. He wasn't going to ruin the moment with something like that. Instead, he asked "Could we have another minute…."

"Please…." Hinata seconded his request.

"Oh… and could you put the clones back…." Naruto couldn't help but sneak that one in there.

"Don't push your luck!" Tsunade held up one finger, with a different meaning this time. "One minute." As she went back inside, she said something that immediately gained the two teenagers their privacy. The girls who had flocked to the glass found something else to occupy their time. The curtains closed again.

"Ummm…… Naruto-kun…." Hinata rubbed her fingers together. She would have to work on quitting that habit.

"Hinata?" Naruto gathered up the cranes and handed them to her.

"You've shown me the origami." Hinata couldn't meet Naruto's gaze. "But… well… before you say good night…." She held the cranes to her chest. "Is there… is there something …."

"Is there something _else_ I want to do?" Naruto had to clear his throat. His voice had come out like a frog's croak. "Uhhh… well… yes…."

Hinata lifted her chin up a little. She felt a growing sense of anticipation, one which was pushing her shyness aside.

"Can I give you a kiss goodnight?" Naruto stood taller, trying to look nonchalant.

That was exactly what Hinata was hoping for. But, she decided to take another tack. "No," she said. "I… I don't think so…" She lowered her chin. "After all… we just started seeing each other tonight…."

"Oh! Sure! What was I thinking?" Naruto tried unsuccessfully to hide his disappointment.

"But… ummm…." Hinata gathered up her courage. "It's OK if _I _give _you_ a kiss."

Naruto appeared surprised at first. He smiled. It looked like a certain white-eyed girl would be keeping him guessing. He swallowed hard when Hinata walked up close. Standing on her tiptoes, she initiated the kiss.

Kurenai peered out through a narrow opening in the curtains. She smiled, placing her hand over her belly. She thought of Asuma. She pondered the life growing inside her. There was hope for the Leaf.

"Who knows what the future might bring?" Tsunade walked over to stand next to Kurenai. "Those two show a lot of promise." It was more than just those two. The youth of Konoha had a great deal of potential.

"Yes," Kurenai replied. "Together or apart." For Hinata's sake, she hoped it would be 'together.'

Outside the door, Naruto's and Hinata's embrace deepened.

**END**


	9. Epilogue : Full Circle

The breeze was cool and refreshing.

A strong scent of blossoms drifted about the town. It was a splendid evening in an exceptionally beautiful Spring.

"Come on slowpoke!" Naruto waved his arm, like he was directing traffic. "You don't have to smell the flowers on every tree we pass… _do_ you?" He slowed to a stop and held out his arm.

"Sorry, Naruto-kun." A smiling Hinata ran to his side and slipped her arm inside his. She used her free hand to straighten a large cluster of blooms in her hair. "But… to be fair… don't _you_ stop and stare at every ramen shop we pass?"

"That's different," Naruto claimed. For a moment, he thought back to a certain Winter night. Drowning in self pity that evening, he never would have guessed that he would be strolling along the street with a girlfriend. No, it was more than that. If he had been asked who he might find to be his best match, he probably would have mentioned Hinata last of all. "You can't eat flowers."

"That's true," Hinata admitted. "But… noodles don't grow on trees…." She enjoyed bantering with Naruto. She was opening up more and more every day. But, she wasn't the only one changing. Naruto was calming down. "No matter how much you wish they did."

"Wouldn't that be great!" Naruto closed his eyes and rubbed his belly. "Better yet! That old man should finally put them on the menu at the pub." He looked over at Hinata, feeling a pang in his heart because she looked so cute. How had he missed that, all those years? "But… that's enough about noodles… I don't know _why_ you keep bringing that subject up." He smirked when she raised an eyebrow in return. "People might think you have a one track mind or something."

"If you say so… sweetums…." Hinata hid a smile. While no stranger to terms of endearment, she was not one of those girls who used sappy and silly nicknames. But, her sense of humor no longer lay dormant like a hibernating bear. It was wide awake, pilfering picnic baskets when the time was right.

"Shhh… _shhh-hhh-hhh_…." Naruto was too late. Hinata had seen a number of his you nger friends walking by. Konohamaru pointed and began to snicker. Udon snuffled louder and longer than usual. The other boys began making catty comments. "Great… thanks…."

"Sweetums," the Third Hokage's grandson said. "Sweetums!" He rubbed his hands together. Naruto would never live this down. He pointed to the cliff face, taking a moment to stare at Sarutobi's face. "Look up there, Udon." He started counting off the names of the Hokages. After mentioning Tsunade in an aggravated tone of voice, he went on to say "And that's probably where they'll carve the _Sixth_ Hokage."

Naruto and Hinata both looked up at the same time. Neither had any doubt that Naruto's face would adorn the cliff some day. The only question was whether someone like Kakashi might hold the title before he did.

"Picture this… a neighboring Kage comes to Konoha for a visit… debating whether or not he should sign an important peace treaty." Konohamaru had become a very flamboyant storyteller. He group of friends hung on every word. "Our ambassador… escorting the great man around the village… shows him the giant face and says: 'That's the man you'll be meeting." Her paused for effect. "Sweetums."

The rowdy boys erupted in loud and raucous laughter, startling some of the nearby villagers. Konohamarru struck up a stance very similar to Naruto's version of the Nice Guy pose.

"So… you can see… Naruto can never be Hokage…like _I _will." Konohamaru sounded serious. "We'd be the laughing stock of each and every Nations!" He thumbed his nose at Naruto. "Then again… that was true _before_ the nickname."

"Hah hah hah…." Naruto fought to keep his temper in check. Nowadays, that was a relatively simple task. "Hah-hah-hah. That's very funny. Really." He brushed off one shoulder and then the other, almost as if he were saying that Konohamaru's attempts at humor were no more meaningful than a piece of lint or two. "Want to know something _else _funny?" He winked at Hinata. She gave him one of those 'don't drag things out too long this time' looks. "I was walking by a clothing shop the other day. You know… the one with all the manikins in front…."

Konohamaru's eyes went very wide. He suddenly felt nervous. A sweat drop formed at each temple. Naruto couldn't have been there that night, _could _he? The streets had been completely deserted!

_Hadn't they?_

"I saw a boy… lets' call him Hamakonoru…." Naruto kept his voice deadpan.

"Hamakonoru… hama… _kono_… ru…." Udon wiped his nose and straightened his glasses. "Kono… _hama_… ru…." He enjoyed math and word puzzles. He could figure this out. "Konohamaru!"

"Keep it down!" Naruto pretended to shush the geeky boy. "Let's make that our little secret." He smiled, seeing the look on Konohamaru's face. "Well… this boy… whatever his name was…." The boys were eating out of _his_ hand now. "…He stood there in front of the teenage manikins and started bragging. He posed like a body builder." Naruto flexed in exaggerated fashion. "He showed off his newest jutsu. He told them that he was going to be the Hokage. Then, he told them how good a kisser he was…." He met Konohamaru's gaze. The other boy shook his head frantically.

"Ummm…." Udon tugged on Naruto's sleeve. "Did he do the clone kissing thing again?" He froze. That was supposed to be a secret. He watched the older shinobi nod his head.

"It was _girl_ clones!" Konohamaru put his hand over his mouth after blurting out that confession . He hadn't wanted anyone to think he was kissing boy bunshin. Everyone standing there was well aware of his _Otoko no Ko D__ō__shi no Jutsu,_ the 'Sexy: Double Knockout Guys Technique' he had invented use against women.

"Anyway… after that impressive display of smooching…." Naruto put his hands behind his neck. "… I had to listen to the poor guy whine and complain…." He put his arm around Hinata. "Because he has no girlfriend." None of the other boys laughed at Konohamaru. They didn't have girlfriends, either. "I suppose… if you guys like… I can tell you an important dating tip…."

The boys shoved each other aside, trying to be the first to beg for that secret. Konoharamu merely stood stiff, a scowl on his face. Udon blew his nose.

"Watch very closely now…." Naruto moved his hands through the air, as if he were a practicing magician. He then reached out, pulled on the goggles that Konohamaru still wore on his forehead, and let the elastic slap them back into place with a loud 'thwack'. "Lose… the… goggles!"

A number of the boys wore similar goggles in homage to Konohamaru, and in ultimate deference to Naruto. Most of them quickly doffed the childish apparel, hiding the eyewear behind their backs. A few tossed them far across the square, towards a number of dumpsters. Konohamaru pulled his down over his eyes in a clear act of defiance. He folded his arms across his chest.

"Well. I guess I showed you guys who's boss," Naruto said, throwing out his chest. "But… you know me… I'm a nice guy. I promise I won't tease any of you guys about not having a girlfriend…." Now for the big punch line. "…_If _you promise not to tell Hinata about _my_ girlfriend."

_He was joking, of course. _

"Y-You…you found…. You found s-someone else?" Hinata didn't look the least bit upset. "Finally!" Naruto might be the Fire Nation's penultimate prankster, but she was no slouch herself. "I am so happy to hear that. It means Granny Tsunade _finally_ found my replacement." She had begun using his appellations for the Hokage. Needless to say, that did not sit well with the older woman.

"Huh?" Naruto's brow furrowed. "Replacement?" He was finding it harder and harder to keep up with Hinata's mental gymnastics. He couldn't be happier!

"Yes," Hinata said, removing her arm from around Naruto's. She took a few steps away. "The Hokage assigned me to be your girlfriend. It was an… ummm… A-Class mission…." She brought the flower in her hair close to her face and took a deep breath. "That's why I went to the bar that night."

For just a moment, Naruto was speechless. Then, he felt like smacking himself in the forehead. That was quite obviously a gag! After he stuck out his tongue at her, ignoring Konohamru's laughter, he immediately squared his stance and shifted his weight.

Hinata always felt a need to show how she truly felt after making a joke like that.

Sure enough, Hinata ran and jumped into his arms, wanting to give him a quick hug. But, instead of holding her tight to him, Naruto spread his arms and let her fall to the cobblestones. "There's no need for any of _that, _right? The mission's over." He waved his hand in dismissive fashion. "Tah tahhh-hh-h." He began walking on his own, whistling.

Hinata picked herself up and brushed road dust off of her pants. She felt a quick burst of pique. Her butt cheek hurt! But, she couldn't blame her boyfriend. The little games they played together were unpredictable and had no established set of rules. She took another sniff of her flowers, thinking back.

At this exact time a year ago, she could only dream about something like this.

"Are you going to let him get away with that?" It was Ino. The blue-eyed girl walked up with Ten Ten and a number of genin girls. She watched as Konohamaru and his friends tried to catch the younger kunoichis' attention. They failed miserably and left with their tails between their legs.

"That was pretty rude," Ten Ten asserted. Like Ino, she had grown closer to Naruto after he had begun dating Hinata. But, she was still very quick to make assumptions where a certain loud-mouthed boy was concerned. "You two aren't having… you know… problems…" She crossed her fingers. Hinata had made amazing strides after that notorious night at the dorm. She didn't want to see that come to an end.

What would happen to her if Naruto dumped her in a figurative sense, too?

"No," Hinata said, shaking her head. "It's one of our games." She felt her face grow warm. "We're still very happy."

"Ohhh-hh-h…." Ino sighed a sigh of relief. "So…." She pursed her lips and nodded her head. "Right now, he's expecting you to go running to him, right?"

"Will you?" Ten Ten raised one eyebrow after Hinata said 'yes'. She and Neji had finally begun seeing one another. But, both of them were far too reserved to interact in the way that Hinata and Naruto did.

"Ummm…." Hinata twiddled her fingers. Despite her best efforts, that habit remained entrenched. "I always do…." She shrugged. "I don't like being away from him… and it makes him smile when I come running…." She hoped that she didn't make either of them sound needy. They might have deep seated issues to deal with, but neither was desperate.

"I wonder what he will do if you _don't_ give in," one of the genin asked. As fate would have it, she wouldn't have to wait long for an answer.

"She said maybe we should start seeing other people. Baby, things are moving way too fast for me." Naruto actually hated that style of music. But, the title of the song was perfect. "So, I picked up what was left of my pride… and I put on my walking shoes…and I got up on that high road… and I did what any gentleman would do." He wasn't much of a singer.

But, he wouldn't let that stand in his way.

"Oh no…." Hinata's bit her lip. She knew exactly what she was up against, thinking back to their one and only trip to a karaoke bar. The manager had refunded their money, giving back twice what they had paid, after politely asking Naruto to leave.

"And I thought Lee had a terrible voice." Ten Ten winced. A man with too much spirit for his own good, Maito Gai… aka Might Guy to some…often sang during their practices. Rock Lee was the only one he could convince to join in. She and Neji had taken to bringing cotton balls and ear plugs to team gatherings.

"Ouch!" Ino shook her head. "I'd rather listen to Choji chomping on chips all day long!" That was a sound that never failed to give her a headache. Nevertheless, her pudgy teammates munching sounded like the sweet harmony of an angelic choir compared to this.

"I just _had_ to ask…." The curious genin girl huddled in a group with her peers. Just when they thought things couldn't get worse, Naruto proved them wrong. He raised his voice considerably, causing every pigeon on the street to take to the wing:

"**I GOT A BRAND NEW GIRLFRIEND**"

He did a small dance step and then spun, before picking op the lyrics again. A woman stood there staring at him, mouth open, her tilted basket spilling crusty loaves of melon bread on her feet.

"We went and jumped off the deep end… ran off to Nami no Kuni for the weekend… spent the whole day lyin' on the beach… wearin' nothin' but a smile." He created a number of shadow songs to sing background.

A group of farmers looked like they had stumbled upon a new crop infestation. They had made the mistake of paying attention to the lyrics. The mental image of a naked Naruto sunning by the ocean had them questioning the meaning of life.

"Ummm… so…." Hinata tried to distract her distraught friends. "What were… what were you guys doing today?" She felt torn. If she ran to Naruto now, he'd stop singing. But, she wanted to show Ino and Ten Ten that she wasn't some kind of wilting flower, afraid to stand up to her boyfriend.

"We were looking for Sakura," Ino answered, glad for that distraction. "She was very upset this morning. But, no one knows where she went."

"She wouldn't tell us why she was crying," Ten Ten added. "I was hoping that she would be at the practice grounds. But… seeing Naruto…." She fought the urge to put her fingers in her ears. "…. I guess their team has the day off like yours." She stood taller. As shinobi, she had been trained by Morino Ibiki to withstand torture. "What are you two up to?"

"Playin' kissy-kissy, smoochy-smoochy…talkin' mooshy-mooshy 'bout nothin'…man, I think I'm on to something… hit it guys…." The bunshin crooned as loud as they could. "Ya know I feel just like a kid again…becauuu-uu-use…." Naruto's _a capella _explosion followed:

"**I GOT A BRAND NEW GIRLFRIEND**"

They clones strutted down the avenue, their fancy moves nearly as bad as their vocals. A number of homeowners and businessmen closed their shutters. A member of the Konoha Military Police Force began directing wagons and pedestrians away from the general vicinity.

"Naruto and I are going to play Pachinko," Hinata replied. "You're all welcome to join us if you like. It's a lot of fun. The more the merrier." She had become much more outgoing over the past few months. She no longer felt uncomfortable around crowds.

"Pass!" Ino's answer came out in a rush. If they weren't looking for Sakura, she might have accepted the invitation. If they weren't looking for their missing friend, _and _she hadn't heard Naruto singing!

"Me too!" Ten Ten felt much the same way that Ino did. "Maybe some other time." She decided to be more specific. "You know… on a girl's night out…." If it wasn't one thing it was another. In the past, the adults had all been worried about the demon sealed within a boy. Later, the children of those same villagers worried about the boy causing trouble or making a fool of himself. Now a new fear raised its ugly head.

_Singing!_

"Kissy-kissy…." One of the genin girls looked sick. "Smoochy smoochy…." The words were too cutesy. It was too much to take. If Naruto was one of the preceptors at the upcoming exams, none of them would have any hope of making chuunin!

"M-Moochy m-moochy…." Another young kunoichi put her hands over her mouth. Her lunch was threatening to make a reappearance. She wisely decided to join her compatriots, all of who decided to look for the pink-haired girl in a different part of town.

"I love it when she calls me buttercup… she laughs and says I left the toilet seat up…she pops the top for me on a cold beer… and says my buddy's always welcome here…." Naruto created more clones for the sing-a-long. "When I get hungry, she takes me out… I'm ridin' shotgun like a shitzu hound…. my tails a waggin', my tongue hangin' out…." He saw Akamaru streak past, running faster than ever. He would have thought the dog would have stopped and begged for a snack as usual, especially after hearing that last verse. No matter. He belted out the key words again:

"**I GOT A BRAND NEW GIRLFRIEND**"

"I'll go to him," Hinata offered. She would do anything for her friends. "I really don't mind if he wins again."

"Thank you," Ten Ten replied, bowing. She whispered 'B-B-Buttercup…Heaven help us all….'

"That goes double for me," Ino said. "Make that triple!"

"Once he stops singing, I'm sure he'll be glad to help look for Sakura." Hinata never put her own pleasure over the well-being of her fellow ninjas.

"**No!" **Both Ino and Ten Ten spoke up at once, as if the one girl was being controlled by the other's Shintenshin no Jutsu. "You stay by Naruto's side." Ino finished by saying "I mean… we shouldn't let this ruin everybody's day." The two girls hurried off.

"Naruto-kun." Sighing an exasperated sigh, Hinata flashed to her boyfriend's side.

"Hah!" Naruto pumped his fist. "It took a while… but I win again!" He saluted the clones as they began to pop out of existence. "Hey… listen…." He put a hand to his ears. The people on the street had started cheering. "I guess we know whose side _they're _on!" He marched on feeling smug, unawares that the applause was meant solely for the curtailment of the singing.

"I suppose you're right," Hinata said amicably. "I'll just have to try harder." Now was not the best time to discuss matters. Later, when they were alone, she would get him to promise never to sing in public again.

"That's the spirit!" Naruto put his arm around Hinata and drew her close. The two of them made their way to Inari's pub, coming to a stop under the large hanging wooden sign. They each had wonderful memories of the storied establishment After all, it was the place where their romance had started. And, while they avoided the bar per se, the game parlor had become one of their favorite haunts.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata pointed at the sign. She took note of something she had never paid attention to before. She moved her head, looking at one side. It depicted a man dressed in fancy raiment. She leaned the other way. On the opposite side, there was a woman, her face identical to that of the man. Were they brother and sister? Parent and child? "I never asked before. Who _is_ Inari? Is that the name of the owner?"

"No." Naruto looked incredulous. He had always assumed that everyone knew who Inari was. "The sign will give you a clue. You can't tell if Inari's a guy or a girl." He smirked. "Just like Sai…."

Hinata just rolled her eyes. She had long since gotten used to her boyfriend's sense of humor. She didn't really mind, since he didn't have a mean bone in his body.

"Some people picture Inari as an old man carrying rice. Others think of Inari as a young female food goddess." Naruto had a particular reason that he had read up on the kami in the past. He would make mention of that in a moment. "There are also people who describe Inari as an androgynous bodvihat-… bohidav-… bodi-…bo-… b-…." The word he was searching for was _boddhisatva. _"…. Enlightened person…."

"I see." Hinata slipped her sleeve cuff over one hand, reached up, and used the woven fabric to wipe away a bit of spittle at the corner of Naruto's mouth. She thought it adorable, anytime he got flustered by a word. Then again, with a few notable exceptions, she still thought that just about anything he did was precious.

"I guess you could call Inari the god of fertility, rice, agriculture, industry, and worldly success." He hooked a thumb under each armpit. "_And_ foxes." He might hate Kyubi, but he had a perverse love for foxes. He almost felt part fox at times. "Pure white kitsune are suppose to be his messengers. But I doubt anything like _that_ exists."

"I can see why you chose this place to drink that night," Hinata said, taking Naruto's hand as he went to open the pub door. There was no direct entrance to the Pachinko area. "Inari is the kami of food… hard work… and foxes…." She looked down and examined her fingernails. "She's not the kami of singing, _is_ she?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Naruto answered. "Why?"

"No reason," Hinata said quickly. She started coughing. The front room was a wall of smoke. How had she managed to stay there as long as she did, back on that fateful night? A longing heart must be capable of miracles!

The two shinobi waved to the bartender, who pointed at a pair of open chairs. He was just being polite, knowing that the twosome hadn't had anything to drink since 'Naruto Night,' as some of the more mouthy patrons had taken to calling it. That evening had been so memorable, that the blind musician in the corner had made up a very popular ditty called 'Sakura Sucks' by some, or the 'Ballad of the Heartbroken Hero' by others.

"Not tonight!" Naruto shook his head and smiled. He placed money in the tips jar. The man and a number of the regulars had taken good care of him back then. "Maybe on our anniversary."

"It's Pachinko time," Hinata said. She went over to the bar and gave the kindly man a hug. She looked around the crowded room, sad that the Origami Lady was nowhere to be seen. But, the place was crowded tonight, so the kindly woman could still be somewhere along the back end of the bar.

A large number of coins came running across the floor. Someone at the jukebox obviously had problems holding his liquor. A song started playing, adding to the noise level.

_**I've been holding out so long  
I've been sleeping all alone  
Lord I miss you  
I've been hanging on the phone  
I've been sleeping all alone  
I want to kiss you**_

"Wow!" Naruto squeezed Hinata's hand affectionately. "This sure brings back memories." He wondered who chose the songs that were programmed into the music player. "That night… every song… it seemed to be about _me_…." He smiled when Hinata squeezed back. "I hope they're not too many broken-hearted people here today…."

_**Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh  
Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh  
Oooh oooh oooh**_

_**Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh  
Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh  
Oooh oooh oooh oooh**_

"Me too," Hinata said, her heart going out to a young man she saw crying in the corner of the room. The table in front of him couldn't hold another empty bottle, stein, or shot glass. He struggled to hoist a huge Viking horn filled with a frothy drink. "I felt so bad for you that night. I could imagine how you must feel."

The two of them gamely waded through the throng, trying not to step on anyone's toes. Business was booming again.

"Yeh," Naruto said, running a hand through his hair. "I can't believe how much things have changed. Back then, Sakura was the only thing I could see." Winking at a grizzled man in the back who raised his glass in toast, Naruto leaned over and gave Hinata a playful smack on the rump. That had her squeaking and the man clapping. "The view's a whole lot nicer, now."

Hinata blushed, her immediate rush of indignity vanishing back from whence it came. Her eyes widened. "Oh… I forgot to tell you… Sakura…." She felt bad. She should have told him sooner.

_**Well, I've been haunted in my sleep  
You've been starring in my dreams  
Lord I miss you  
**_

_**I've been waiting in the hall  
Been waiting on your call  
When the phone rings  
It's just some friends of mine that say,  
"Hey, what's the matter man?  
We're gonna come around at twelve  
With some Cloud Nation girls that are just dyin' to meet you.**_

"Sakura?" Naruto stopped. He tried to shush the drunken people around him who reacted to that name, remembering. But, the reaction spread like falling dominoes. "What happened to S-… my teammate?" He felt a queasy feeling in his stomach. "She didn't go off on a mission with another team, _did _she?"

Sakura hadn't mentioned anything like that.

_**We're gonna bring a case of wine  
Hey, let's go mess and fool around  
You know, like we used to"  
**_

_**Aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah  
Aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah  
Aaah aaah aaah aaah**_

Hinata told Naruto about her brief run-in with Ino and Ten Ten, leaving out any and all comments related to his singing.

"Well… we sure won't find her in _here_…" He swept his arms about without thinking. That was a mistake. He apologized to the people he mistakenly struck, and handed out coins for the drinks he had knocked over.

Naruto felt torn. He and Hinata had been looking forward to their day off. And, there already were a fair number of people out looking for Sakura. Just the same, he wouldn't feel right hanging around the Pachinko machines if his teammate was in trouble. He tried to think of anything that she might have said the day before that would serve as a clue. He couldn't. The noise. The smoke. The crowd. Those were all making it hard to concentrate.

"We could go look for her," Hinata offered. She knew that Naruto would make a similar offer, if she were concerned about Kiba or Shino. The surging crowd pushed the two of them towards the back of the pub as a group of visitors flooded into the pub. The newcomers were part of a club or society, judging by their matching outfits and ceremonial headgear.

One of the new arrivals put a large item on the bar top before he placed his order. It was an instrument case. His fellow revelers all had something similar, some differing in size and shape.

_**Oh everybody waits so long  
Oh baby why you wait so long  
Won't you come on! Come on!  
I've been walking Central Park  
Singing after dark  
People think I'm crazy  
**_

_**I've been stumbling on my feet  
Shuffling through the street  
Asking people, "What's the matter with you boy?"  
Sometimes I want to say to myself  
Sometimes I say**_

"Thank you for the offer, Hinata-chan," Naruto said. "I'll make it up to you somehow."

"You don't have to, silly." Hinata used her Byakugan, searching for the optimal path through the crowd. "She's my friend, too."

_**Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh  
Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh  
Oooh oooh oooh  
Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh  
Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh**_

"LORD I MISS YOU!"

Those shouted words had Hinata freezing. No, not because the next words in the song were 'I won't miss you child,' not 'Lord I miss you.' She didn't know the song. It wasn't the verse. It was the person singing. Her control of the Byakugan had grown fine enough that she could recognize certain people by their chakra circulatory patterns.

"Naruto!" Hinata reached out and grabbed hold of his arm. "I know where she is!" She pulled him along towards a stretch of the counter that couldn't be seen from the front of the room. It was enveloped by darkness, thanks to a number of darkened light bulbs that needed replacing.

"Hinata… the door's _that_ way…." He tried to dig in his heals, but his girlfriend yanked with all her might, nearly dislocating his shoulder. What was she doing? This wasn't the direction for the Pachinko parlor, either. "What…." He found his answer after he came close to sliding headfirst into the great oaken bar. **"Sakura-chan!" **

Sure enough, the pink-haired girl sat on a wobbly stool, teetering this way and that. A tremendous number of empty glasses sat in front of her. Based on the shapes of those vessels and the residual contents, she had been doing mixed drinks rather than Sake.

"_S-A-K-U-R-A-!"_

That shout rose up from a tight cluster of patrons. They bellowed for everyone to quiet down. The hated Sakura was somewhere in their midst! While Naruto's anger at the girl in question had long since faded away, the feeling had been preserved at the bar like a fly trapped in amber. Someone dropped a wad of paper money in front of the handicapped singer, prompting him to sing the famous tune.

Almost like magic, the group of musicians uncased their instruments, tuned them, and joined in, easily matching an impromptu beat to the singer's rhythm.

_**I…hate the rain and sunny weather,  
And I… I hate the beach and mountains too;  
I don't like a thing about the city… no, no  
And I… I… I hate the countryside too! **_

And I, hate everything about Sa-ku-ra 

_**I hate everything about you!**_

A large number of patrons shouted "Sakura sucks!

Naruto clenched his fists and rolled up his sleeves. He didn't have the luxury of being shocked or surprised. He needed to put a stop to this as quickly as possible. Hinata was asking people individually to stop what they were doing. That wouldn't work. It was time for his One-Size-Fits-All jutsu. He began working hand seals.

_**I, don't like a thing about your mother,  
And I… I hate your daddy's guts too,  
I don't like a thing about your sister,  
cause I… I… I think sex is overrated too.**_

Bunshin appeared everywhere, causing people to be flattened against walls and each other. That might be fun for the perverts and dirty old men, but for most people it was a major annoyance. More than one woman left a throbbing red palm print on some man's face.

"Eek!" Hinata jumped when someone pinched her on her shapely backside. Naruto jumped even higher when someone did the same to him._**  
**_

_**And I get sick when I'm around Sakura, **_

_**I can't stand to be around Sa-ku-ra,  
I hate everything about you!  
Everything about you,  
Everything about you,  
Everything about you!**_

Once again, the crowd shouted "Sakura sucks!"

Immediately thereafter, Naruto had all of the myriad shadow clones putting their fingers in their mouths and whistling as loudly as they could. That got everybody's attention. Everyone except for the musicians. The bunshin flashed about the pub, gathering up kotsuzumis, shamisens, and shakuhachis. One stuck an apple in the singer's mouth.

A sullen and slurred voice broke the miraculous silence. "Everybody hatessh me. Life hatessh me." That was Sakura. She accidentally knocked over half of the empties in front of her, causing a crescendo of breaking glass. "Sasshuke-kun… Sasshuke-kun hatessh me…."

As the clones began disappearing, Naruto stood up on a chair and apologized to the unhappy visitors who had been minding their own business. While Hinata hurried to console Sakura, he launched into a grand speech about his pink-haired teammate, telling everyone how she wasn't as bad as he had made her out before.

More than a few sots called out 'Sh-Sh-Shorry Shakura' when he finished. Other remorseful rabble-rousers asked the waitresses and barkeep to put her next few drinks on their tab. There were a few diehards who seemed unwilling to give up one of their favorite villains; but, they were in the minority.

The activity in the pub returned to normal. Two men fought over at the jukebox. Their drunken wrestling match allowed a smaller timid man to sneak past them. The self-styled Bon Vivant reached inside a sequined money purse and fished out the necessary coins. Pushing well worn buttons, he set another song in motion.

_**I know you wanna leave me, but I refuse to let you go  
If I have to beg, plead for sympathy  
I don't mind, 'cause it means that much to me  
**_

_**Ain't too proud to beg, sweet darlin'  
Please don't leave me, don't you go  
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby  
Please don't leave me, don't you go**_

"Ishn't that jusht perfect!" Sakura laughed inappropriately, after hearing the initial verses. "I begged him. I even got down on my kneessh. Did it make a differensh?"

"Sakura-chan… this isn't like you…." Naruto felt a sharp pang in his heart. His friend must really be hurting. She looked and sounded like a wreck. He blinked rapidly, thinking back to when _he_ was the MPN, the miserable person of the night. Shikamaru and Lee had stopped by to see him. What they must have thought at the time! "Trust me… drinking won't make you feel better… I know…."

"That'ssh real easshy for you to shay…." Sakura ignored Hinata's offer to buy her coffee or tea, recently added to the bill of fair in the Hyuuga girl's honor. "You have Hinata. Sh-She hassh you. You have eachsh other." She hung hung, her head, clutched her fists, and cursed life. "It'ssh not fair. It'ssh jussht not fair. I work as hard as everybody elssh." Tired of all the slurring, she reached inside her purse and removed an herbal remedy.

Instead of stripping and pulverizing the leaves before adding them to some liquid, she crammed a bunch of plant parts into her mouth, chewed, and then swallowed.

_**Well I heard a quiet man is half a man, with no sense of pride  
If I have to cry to keep ya I don't mind weepin'  
If weepin' gonna keep ya by my side  
**_

_**Ain't too proud to beg, sweet darlin'  
Please don't leave me, don't you go  
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby  
Please don't leave me, don't you go**_

Naruto and Hinata both realized that things had come full circle. He had once sat here, moaning over Sakura. Now, Sakura was pouring her heart out over _her_ lost love. That came as a big surprise. Neither of them seen or heard any hints that Sakura and Sasuke had been dating. Naruto felt a bit mutton-headed. How could he have missed that about his teammates?

_Neither shinobi felt any satisfaction at the turnaround._

"I know it must feel bad now," Hinata said kindly. "It broke my heart, watching Naruto that night. He was in so much pain. But-" She was cut-off.

"Sure… blame Sakura!" The medical ninja covered her face with her hands, before bring both palms down hard on the smooth wood. "It's always Sakura's fault. Stupid… useless… ugly…." She shuddered, her face looking bleak. "….Pink-haired Sakura…."

"Hinata wasn't blaming you," Naruto said, coming to his girlfriend's defense. "If anything, we should thank you. Either way, that's all water under the bridge." He leaned closer to her, so she would be certain to hear his next words. "I learned a very important lesson that night. I couldn't have the girl that I thought I wanted. "But that was OK, because I ended up with the girl I needed." He didn't hug or touch Hinata, knowing that a show of affection might sting his teammate even more. "I didn't find her in the bottom of a glass."

_That wasn't entirely true._

"Gee… wow… thanks… that's helps a whole hell of a lot!" Sakura began flipping through the drink menu again. "Sasuke was the one I wanted… _and _the one I needed…." She was in no condition to listen to reason. "Which one do you think I should choose next, Hinata?" She thrust the plastic-covered pages up close to the white-eyed girl's face.

"I… ummm…." Hinata searched for something helpful to say. Nothing that anyone had said had helped Naruto. It was the goodness of his heart, coupled with a series of misunderstandings, that had led him to chase after her. They had found what they needed in each other, not in drinks or games of chance. "How about a nice glass of Seltzer Water?"

_**If I have to sleep on your doorstep all night and day  
Just to keep you from walkin' away  
Let my friends laugh, for this I can stand  
'Cause I wanna I keep ya, yeah, yeah, I can  
**_

_**Ain't too proud to beg, sweet darlin'  
Please don't leave me, don't you go  
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby  
Please don't leave me, don't you go  
**__**Ain't too proud to beg, sweet darlin'  
Please don't leave me, don't you go  
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby  
Please don't leave me, don't you go**_

"Well… let's see…." Sakura waved off the other girl's suggestion and pointed to a glass still sporting a little parasol. "This one was called Sailor Moon." That had Naruto and Hinata looking at one another. They mouthed the name of the drink and shuddered. "White rum… Charleston Follies… Lemon juice… Ice… and Champagne." She ran her finger around the inside of the glass and then licked it. "It's an acquired taste, I guess."

"So… Sakura-chan… would you like to tell us why you're upset with Sasuke?" Naruto watched Sakura's face. If the sole-surviving Uchiha had done something inappropriate, he wouldn't let him get away with it, friend or not!

"This one…." Sakura didn't acknowledge her teammate's question. Tears came to her eyes. "This one was Saurian Brandy, I think." That name had Naruto's eyes widening. He wasn't a Trekkie by any stretch of the imagination, but he did enjoy a few episodes from the first-run show. "Vodka… Orange rind… Sugar… Maple syrup…." Those ingredients had Hinata sticking out her tongue just beyond her lips.

"I'm sure that Granny Tsunade would be happy to listen to your story, too." Naruto wasn't sure what approach to take. Figuratively, all he could do was throw things against a wall and see what stuck. "Not to mention Shizune." Hinata seconded those recommendations. "You can talk to them instead of us, if that feels more comfortable."

"I think I would rather talk to the TonTon!" Sakura looked angry for a moment. "Sasuke is a pig!" She heaved a heavy sigh and her sadness took center court again. _"All _men are pigs." She tapped another glass. "This one was called Snakebite. Pour some Yukon Jack over ice… add a dash of lime juice… and enjoy." She put a hand over her mouth, holding back a belch. "This one was called Snakebite, too. Vodka… uhhh… vodka and… yes… Green Chartreuse... and a couple of drops of Tabasco sauce." She flicked the glass away with one finger, sending it spinning perilously close to the rim of the counter. "Want to guess what _this_ one was called?" She pointed to another glass.

"Ummm… Snakebite?" Hinata wondered why there were so many different drinks with the same name. She didn't have to wonder why Sakura would choose a drink with that title, however. Sasuke's connection with snakes was general knowledge now.

"Bingo!" Sakura slapped Hinata on the back. "We have a winner. Barkeep, a drink for my clever friend here." She tapped a finger on the menu. "There are other Snakebites, you know. I'm going to tray each and every one of them." She put her chin in her hands, looking over her collection of empties. "Those won't have the same sentimental value for you that they do for me. Maybe you would prefer… Salty Balls." She smiled when Hinata jerked, knocking one glass to the floor. "You might not like the Vodka. But it has Orange juice, Grapefruit juice, and Midori melon liqueur."

"Sakura-chan…." Naruto shook his finger in a reproachful manner. "Hinata's a lady…." He didn't mean that as a comparison of sorts. He merely wanted to keep his girlfriend from getting embarrassed. He glowered at the drunken patrons who suddenly glommed onto their conversation.

"Oh… and _I'm _not?" Sakura slapped the bar top again. Not paying attention to her Tsunade-like strength, she opened a sizeable fissure in the wood. A few glasses plummeted to their doom. She tried to keep her hand from shaking. A wicked look came to her eyes. If Naruto… always cheerful, always getting stronger Naruto… if he tried to tell her what to do, she would simply do the opposite. She had every right, seeing how Fate had screwed her over! "Well then… I bet the lady would like a couple of Slippery Nipples, right? You too, I'm sure." The look on Naruto's face was priceless! "I mean, what's not to like about Bailey's Irish Cream and Butterscotch schnapps?"

"…" Naturally, as sweet and innocent as she was, Hinata reacted in just the fashion that Sakura had predicted. She was tongue-tied, her face turning bright red. At first, Naruto was too shocked to get angry. Fighting to hold his temper in check, he opened his mouth. Sakura spoke first.

"No… no… no… Slippery Nipples are _not _enough!" Sakura felt an immense feeling of power, after feeling helpless for most of the day. Right and wrong didn't matter at the moment. She snapped her fingers. "Bring my friend something I haven't tried yet." She pointed at the drink list and then looked over at Hinata. "Screaming Multiple Orgasm." When she listed Orange liqueur, Bailey's Irish Cream, Galliano, Milk, and a choice of strawberries or cherries, she doubted that the other girl heard her.

_Take that, Little Miss Perfect!_

Sakura then went on to heap praise on a number of drinks, namely Sit On My Face; Son Of A Beach; Sip And Go Naked; and Sensei On The Rocks. She mentioned Squashed Frog for Naruto's benefit, and then suggested her own creation, Such A Wonderful Day, which basically called for any and every liquor within reach.

"Hey… have you noted that every drink she mentioned starts with the letter 'S'?" One monk sat drinking by a smoking incense pot.

"Maybe that's because Sasuke starts with the same letter," his fellow shave pate remarked. The two of them had heard the name 'Sasuke' more times than they cared to remember. So had the other patrons sitting near Sakura.

"I have a drink for you two!" Sakura directed that towards the two holy men. "It's called Shut The Hell Up!" When she raise a single finger the way that the Hokage was wont to do, the men wisely chose to move to different seats. She sighed, and muttered under her breath. "Bacardi rum… Crown Royal… Jägermeister… Everclear… and Grenadine." Remembering ingredients took her mid off of Sasuke, if only for brief moments.

"I can probably speak for everyone here…." Naruto decided to try another tack. "We're all very proud of you for your hard work at becoming a mixed drink encyclopedia." The similarity to his own boozy night was too obvious to overlook. He had regaled the crowd with infinite details about Sake. "Maybe it's time to remember what you _really_ are. A medical ninja. Isn't it against your code, treating your body this way?"

"What does it matter!" Sakura began crying again. "What does _anything_ about me matter?" She took her hair in her hand and yanked it, as if she hoped that she could remove it like some kind of wig. She winced. "My body's not good enough. _I'm _not good enough."

"I think we may finally have a clue," Hinata said to Naruto, finally feeling steady on her feet again. "But… I don't know if we will help her by forcing matters…." She couldn't bear the thought of causing her friend more pain, even if it helped her in the long run.

"It helped me," Naruto claimed. "Talking about things didn't take my pain away; but, it helped me begin to accept the way things were. Even though I didn't know it" He shrugged. "One step at a time… just like learning a new jutsu." Hinata had been his short-cut that famous night, just the way that multi-clone method that Kaksashi devised had helped him incorporate elemental chakra into his Rasengan mush sooner than anyone had thought possible.

"OK." Hinata walked close to Sakura. "I'm heading over to the Ladies' Room. Do you need to go?" Spying the pyramid of glasses that the other girl started to build, she would be shocked if Sakura didn't need to pee. Away from the crowd… and with a little privacy… her friend might open up some.

"Sure," Sakura said in a lifeless voice. "I guess that's better than making a mess out here." She stood up and pushed away from the bar. "Just because my life is a cesspool, that doesn't mean I should make the bartender's job any harder."

Another song started. Drunk as she was, Sakura frowned when she saw the connection, even though it was a good one this time.

_**Well, we all need someone we can lean on  
And if you want it, you can lean on me  
Yeah, we all need someone we can lean on  
And if you want it, you can lean on me**_

Fortunately, there was no line at the restrooms. When the two girls went inside, shielded from the loud music and noisy chatter, they were surprised to find that they had the small chamber to themselves. It took a few tries, but Hinata finally helped Sakura get to the heart of the matter.

"Sasuke… Sasuke-kun_ dumped _me…." Sakura couldn't bring herself to look in the large ornate glass mirror.

Hinata listened while she reapplied her make-up.

"We had been dating for a few weeks. I thought things were going well. But… but I… but I made a very big mistake…." Sakura shivered. "I should have known it would happen. I'm not that kind of girl, really. If I hadn't acted out of character…." Tears rolled down her face. She fought to keep from sobbing. While she didn't really think that things would have ended up differently if she had let them stand as they had been, she felt a subconscious a need to blame herself for the way everything turned out.

"Did you move too fast for him?" Hinata put down her lipstick and faced the other girl. She was fortunate that Naruto's desires and morals mirrored her own. They were in no rush to do things that might change their relationship for the worse. They would get more intimate when the time was right.

"Yes… no… I'm not sure…." Sakura shook her head, refusing the other girl's offer of cosmetics. At that moment, in her eyes, nothing would ever make her beautiful or right. "I thought… I thought that…." She sniffed, and then wiped her nose on a tissue. "I thought if we… you know… he might care about me even more…." She rubbed at her eyes, seeing images that she wished would go away. Her at the library reading. Her in the clinic sneaking a few boxes of prophylactics. Her trying to find a way to broach the subject with Sasuke.

"He rejected you?" Hinata could imagine how she might have felt, had she been capable of taking a similar tack with Naruto a few months back. She took her guess one step further. "He didn't think you were pretty enough?" She still felt uncomfortable around the Uchiha boy. He remained quiet and reserved. His priorities were hard to fathom, and his people skills could use a great deal of work. "Or… ummm… did he think you were a woman of loose morals…."

"Hah! Morals!" Sakura felt bitterness fill her. "He's the last one who should ever worry about ethics or morals." She sneered. "He left the village to train with one of Konoha's greatest enemies. All because he wanted to get strong enough to kill his brother!" She remembered trying to stop him from leaving. She remembered Naruto's Promise of a Lifetime. She remembered Sasuke trying to kill them both, along with Sai and Yamato. Her voice came out in a whisper. "I don't know why I still care about him so much. I guess I was hoping he could be like he was before. The good part, I mean."

"So…." Hinata didn't want Sakura to dwell too much on the past. She knew too well what that was like.

"I saw desire in his eyes. I know he cares about me, some." Sakura wiped at one eye. "But… thinking about s-s-sex left him feeling worried…." She hung her head. "And, that worry had him thinking about possible consequences."

"You mean… ummm… pregnancy…." Hinata thought about Kurenai a moment. Her baby was healthy and strong. He had a patch of hair just like his late father and beautiful red eyes like his mother.

"Yes," Sakura said, blowing on the mirror, fogging it up in one small area. With one finger, she drew two halves of a heart with matching jagged edges. "But, I'm a medical ninja. There are many ways to prevent pregnancy in addition to condoms." She blew on the mirror again. Sighing, she decided against drawing a picture of a huge weight smashing Sasuke flat. "It made him think about children. His children to be. The ones that will help bring back the Uchiha clan."

"He… ummm… he doesn't think you would be a suitable mother?" Hinata felt her heart going out to her friend. She also knew all about being judged and found wanting. "Or… he… he wants a wife with a Blood Limit gift?" Having overheard the conversations at a number of her father's meetings, she knew more about politics than she cared to.

"Nothing like that. Not really." Sakura couldn't hold back her sudden rage. One punch shattered the mirror and left powdered brick dust covering the sinks. "It was his pride. It was his damn pride!"

"Oh! Sakura. Your hand!" Hinata saw blood dripping out from her friend's clenched fist. She opened her purse, looking for one of her butterfly-shaped ointment jars. By chance, she chose a pink one.

"No!" Sakura pulled her hand back vehemently. She left a small trail of red droplets on her skirt. "Not pink. Anything but pink." She placed her forehead up against the cold brick wall. "I… I hate pink…."

That left Hinata at a loss for words. She could make an obvious connection to the heartbroken girl's hair color; but, how could that possibly apply?

"He said… Sasuke told me…." Sakura's lip trembled. She fought hard to hold herself together. "He could never restore his clan's pride… with pink-haired sons…."

"Wh-… Wh-… What?" That question came out in a whisper. Sakura's story had struck Hinata's heart like a crossbow bolt. "He… he couldn't… he couldn't really _mean_ that…." The similarity to Naruto's prior plight came to mind again. The thoughtless words and deeds of precious people could sting with incredible intensity.

_Especially if the one being hurt wanted the person to be more than just a friend._

Feeling somewhat numb herself, Hinata helped a distraught Sakura make her way back out to the bar area. Naruto was waiting for them, a worried expression on his face. His eyebrow went up when his girlfriend told him that she had found the cause of Sakura's grief. He sucked in his breath, seeing a red-stained bandage on the pink-haired girl's hand.

He didn't see any connection to the song that was playing. But, his teammate did.

_**They just don't appreciate that you get tired  
They're so hard to satisfy, you can tranquilize your mind  
So go running for the shelter of a mother's little helper  
And four help you through the night, help to minimize your plight  
**_

_**Doctor please, some more of these  
Outside the door, she took four more  
**_

"I have something like that." Sakura's voice sounded lifeless now. She searched for her purse, finding it buried beneath her jacket. "If drink won't work…." It had been simple enough to get the combination to the restricted drugs locker. It had been child's play to swipe the sedative bottles scheduled for disposal.

"You shouldn't…." Hinata reached out, but stopped when Naruto put his hand on hers.

_**Life's just much too hard today,  
I hear ev'ry mother say  
The pursuit of happiness just seems a bore  
**_

_**And if you take more of those, you will get an overdose  
No more running for the shelter of a mother's little helper  
They just helped you on your way, through your busy dying day**_

"No… go right ahead…." Naruto stood right next to Sakura. "Drowning your sorrow in all _that_ didn't help." He pointed to where the barkeep was placing her empty glasses in a gray rubber bin. "So… try some pills… try _lots_ of pills." He couldn't hide the disgust in his voice, even if it left him feeling like a bit of a hypocrite. "Be a coward. But… it's funny… back when everyone thought you were useless…." In the early days of Team Seven, what had she actually done, after all? "…You might not have had a lot of confidence…but you weren't a coward." He turned up his nose. "Funny how things change."

Sakura recoiled, as if she had been hit in the face by an exploding kunai. Her pride rose up, along with her anger. She was about to say that she hated Naruto, but caught herself. As upset and preoccupied as she was, she realized what he was trying to do. "Maybe you're right… but… but I don't…." The tears started falling again. "I just don't know what to do." She let the bottles fall from her hand. Naruto kicked them far across the room.

Hinata whispered in Naruto's ears, telling him what she had learned from Sakura. She watched as her boyfriend quickly worked through a mixture of emotions, including shock, anger, and sorrow. An idea came to mind. She told him about it, prompting him to shrug and say that it couldn't hurt. He doubted that Sakura would find the hope that he and Hinata had found.

"Excuse me, sir…." Hinata signaled for the kindly old man behind the bar. "Do you know… did the woman leave any of her paper here?" She didn't specify who 'the woman' was, but the pub owner knew exactly who she meant. "I'm… ummm… I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I borrowed some."

When the man found what she was hoping he would, Hinata launched into a brief history of Origami. She saw a striking symmetry in the events of this day compared to those of 'Naruto-night.' If she repeated the events of that evening, would things work out well for Sakura? After folding paper shapes, she would suggest that Sakura and Naruto spend some time playing Pachinko.

"This is how you start to fold a crane," Hinata said, showing Sakura how to crease the paper. She had taken up Oragami as a hobby, and had progressed way beyond paper birds. As she worked, she did her best to explain the significance of colors. "Red represents strong love, passion and desire. Dark crimson stands for inner beauty and inner strength. It represents soul mates and a connection without words. Pink represents happiness, tenderness, best friends and sweethearts…."

"R-R-Right…." Sakura put her face in her hands.

"Orange is a rich color of enthusiasm and energy," Hinata leaned against Naruto. "Yellow stands for freedom and joy. Green suggests harmony and finding balance, and is also the color of luck and wealth. Blue represents honor and faith. Purple is the traditional color of nobility and courtly love. White represents hope for the future, a fresh start, innocence, and purity."

"Purity…." Sakura clenched her hands into fists again. "Screw purity!" She didn't chuckle at her unintentional joke. Purity had her think of virginity. Virginity had her thinking of Sasuke's and his issues with hair color. The jerk! The stupid heartless bastard!

"I.. it…." Hinata steadied herself. This didn't seem to be helping. But, she couldn't give up. "Silver stands for elegance. Gold represents eternal love and loyalty." She flinched when she heard the pitiful noise that Sakura made in the back of her throat. "Ivory means luxury and tradition. It can also stand for quiet and warm caring. Brown and Beige refer to the trust and loyalty of a true friend. Black-" She stopped when Naruto put a finger on her lips. Sakura had sunk lower and lower on her stool. Her chin rested in the pooling liquid of a drink she spilled.

"It doesn't look like that did any good," Naruto said to Hinata, thanking her for her effort just the same. He asked why she had chosen Origami, and scratched his head when she gave him her answer. "I don't think that Pachinko would help, either." He thought a moment. The best solution might be the simplest. As they say, when you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras. "The best thing she can do is to get out of this place." He thought back to his own ordeal. The exercise had done him some good. But, it was laving the whole pervasive atmosphere of the pub that had done him the most good. That, and a certain white-eyed girl. "But I _do _see value in tradition…."

_He rubbed his hands together, a scheme coming to mind. _

Hinata took a long breath and let it out. She would trust Naruto, even though the sudden mischievous glint in his eyes had her worried. Her cousin Neji still thought that he had the best eyes in the village. "Do whatever you think is best."

"Hey!" Naruto poked Sakura in the shoulder, causing her to focus on her surroundings again. "You can't blame Hinata for trying." He gave Hinata a thumbs up gesture and a Nice Guy pose. There wasn't enough light in that part of the bar to ping off of his teeth. "She was pretty smart, wanting to repeat some of the things that happened to me back then." The emphasis on 'then' needed no explanation. "But… it looks like Life can handle things on its own. She and I aren't needed here."

"Naruto… I don't…." Sakura looked puzzled. Her eye lids looked heavy with sorrow. Her movements had gown sluggish and languid. "You're not really making any sense." She sighed. How often did her loquacious teammate _ever_ really make sense?

"Hah!" Naruto thumped himself in the chest. "I don't _have_ to. It doesn't matter what I say or do. You and I both know that our lives aren't some kind of cage. It took me to show Neji that we aren't all prisoners of our Destiny." He thumped himself in the chest and nodded his head. " Just the same… when the wheels of Fate start rolling… the best thing to do is sit back and enjoy the ride."

Hinata and Sakura exchanged glances and shrugged. A small crowd of Naruto-groupies had gathered, and were hanging on his every word. Even the bartender had stopped in his tending, wanting to hear what the interesting boy might say next. The monks took deep breaths of their incense. The _kiseru_ pipe smokers in the room stopped mid-puff.

"I came here because a teammate broke my heart." Naruto said that without rancor. "I tried to find relief by drinking every type of Sake available. It didn't help, and it didn't give me any answers. The person I cared about was the worst possible person for me." He didn't apologize. It was true. That wasn't any commentary on Sakura as a human being. "The person I truly needed was already waiting for my attention. I just needed to see that." He nodded to Hinata. "Look where I am today…."

"I still don't understand." Sakura made a face. It felt as if she were trapped in a mental haze. "What are you trying to say?"

"Hinata. Please give Sakura the green-colored crane." Naruto pointed, smiling.

"OK." Hinata looked at the crane, before holding her hand out to Sakura. Green. Harmony. Finding balance. Luck. Wealth. That was a fine message. Was Naruto's maturity making another encore performance, despite that impish look on his face?

"It's too bad you can't make something like this out of stretchy fabric," Naruto remarked, rubbing his chin. "That would be perfect! Oh… and it would really rule… if you could sew big black eyebrows on it, too…."

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata was baffled. She couldn't see where he was going with things at first. But, as she added two and two together, his mention of stretchy fabric and black eyebrows suddenly made sense. Oh no. Not _that_, Naruto. You aren't thinking of playing the Rock Lee card, _are_ you?

_**Sweethearts together  
We've only just begun  
Sweethearts together  
We'll take life as it comes  
**_

_**Sweathearts forever  
Two hearts together as one  
Everybody needs someone  
To tell their troubles to **_

_**To share the pain and laughter  
In a world beset with fools  
To help you with your ups and downs  
Someone to heal your wounds **_

"It all makes perfect sense." Naruto laughed out loud. "Hinata wanted me more than anything else. That made all the difference in the world. By coincidence… in this very village… there's somebody waiting for _you_…." He had to fight to keep a straight face.

"There's nobody for me," Sakura asserted, running a hand through her hair, feeling an enormous upwelling of self-pity. "You know how much Sasuke cares about his precious clan! More than he cares about me!" She was still fixated on sharingan-boy.

"Earth to Sakura…." Naruto rapped hard on the top of his friend's head. "You weren't listening again." He dodged the punch that she aimed his way. "It's… _not_… Sasuke…." He smiled, reached into his pouch, and took out Gama-chan, his faithful money purse. Plucking out a few coins, he ran over to the quiet jukebox, dropped in the coins, and pushed the requisite buttons.

**_Sweethearts together  
When two hearts beat as one  
Sweethearts together_**

**_We've only just begun  
Sweethearts forever  
Two hearts together as one  
As one  
_**

_**Everyone so cynical  
And says that love won't last  
Think about your future  
Stop living in the past  
Time's not standing still  
So stop looking through those tinted glasses **_

"The guy I'm talking about won't worry about your hair color," Naruto calimed when he returned. "He probably won't care that your caboose has gotten kind of big." He ducked under another swing. "But it's not about him. It's about _you. _You just need to open your heart to him!" He didn't really think that Sakura could ever get together with the ninja in question. This wasn't about swaying her heart. This was about pissing her off. But, she didn't need to know that yet. "A make-out session would do you _both_ a world of good…."

"I'm not in any kind of mood for your stupid jokes," Sakura snapped. "Can't you just leave me alone?"

Hinata would normally do just what Sakura had asked. But, she and Naruto had learned to work as a team. A damn good team. She saw an opening and took it. "Who are you talking about, Naruto-kun?" She swallowed hard at the 'Et tu, Hinata' look the pink-haired girl gave her.

_**Sweethearts together  
We've only just begun  
Sweethearts together  
So glad I've found someone  
**_

_**Sweethearts forever  
Two hearts together as one  
As one  
**_

_**But love is never easy  
It's never silky smooth  
There's always something tempting  
In the wilderness of youth  
**_

_**But I will stay right by your side  
The truth will out, you'll realize  
**_

"Sweethearts together they've only just begun…." Naruto spoke rather than sand. He then hummed a bit. "Sweethearts together… you'll be so glad you found someone…." He hummed a few bars more. "Someone brave. Someone dependable. Someone who made himself strong, despite his own inadequacies…." He emptied a black marble bowl full of peanuts, and then placed it on his head, doing his best to simulate a certain someone's haircut. By the look in her eyes, Sakura still hadn't caught on. "…Like a certain female teammate of mine…." He grinned when Sakura's eyes narrowed.

"Ummm… do you mean…." Hinata provided another perfect opening.

"He's a lot like his sensei," Naruto added. "Both of them hold themselves to an incredibly high standard." He coughed. "Konoha's Prideful Green Beast, and his trusty apprentice."

"You can't mean…." Sakura turned pale. "You better _not_ mean…." She brought a hand to her mouth.

"You know it!" Naruto stood up on his stool, in a Captains Morgan type of stance. "The hard work we do will be for nothing, if we do not believe in ourselves. The burning fire of youth will go out, if we will not look deep within heart. The bashful blossom of love will wither on the vine, if we cannot be honest with our feelings!" He flexed his muscles. "For some reason… I feel like running laps around the village." He looked around the room. "Somebody make me a bet that I can lose…."

"That…is… not…." Sakura shook her head, her face clouding over. "That's not funny!"

"You have to accept the truth, Sakura-chan." Naruto knew he had struck a raw nerve. His teammate's nostrils were flaring. The glass she held in her hand showed numerous cracks. "But, you can't do it on your own." He performed the hand seals for Kage Bunshin. "You need help. As luck would have it, there are helpers everywhere." He spread his arms wide, including every drunk and sober soul in the room. "It's my duty tell everyone in the pub about you and Lee." He gave the clones orders. They began speeding about the room, starting gossip. "That way, they'll be able to offer you the encouragement you need."

_If that didn't push her past the point of reason, he knew what might._

The clones began singing as loud as they could. The musicians jumped into action, providing professional accompaniment. Before anyone knew what was happening, the barflies were clapping their hands to the beat.

"**SAKURA AND LEE**… **SITTING IN A TREE**… **K**… **I**… **S**… **S**… **I**… **N**… **G**…."

Naruto gave the Uzumaki Singers a flamboyant 'V' sign. Then, he sung the next verse to an irate Sakura. "First comes love… then comes marriage… then comes Sakura with a baby carriage." He turned to Hinata. "Hey, Hinata! Picture this. Cute babies…." He pretended to cradle something in his arms. "…All with pink hair and big bushy brows…."

Hinata was feeling uneasy. It never made sense, teasing a starving dog with a pork chop… climbing a metal pole during a lightning storm… or running up the slope of an erupting volcano. She would have felt better if her boyfriend had chosen any of those dangerous endeavors over his current course of action.

"Grrrr-rrr-rr-r…." Sakura couldn't put her anger and annoyance into words. That song the jerks on the bar had been singing earlier had hurt. But, pain she could deal with. If this new sing-a-long became a staple number here, she'd die from embarrassment! Without knowing what she was doing, she reduced a bar stool to kindling with a single flick of one finger.

She didn't see the old man add the damages to her considerable tab.

"It will be _sooo-oo-o _great when you two hook up," Naruto continued, venturing further out along the razor's edge. "Ahhh… don't try to deny it… the signs have been there all along." He was having fun. He almost forgot the reason he had started the nonsense in the first place. "You danced with him the night you turned me down!" He had no doubt that her decision to do so had been an act of kindness, not a flirtation of any kind.

Hinata decided that there was a way to reduce the number of possible casualties and provide Naruto with the best possible avenue of escape. Walking around to the revelers who stood between her boyfriend and the bar, she asked them to clear a path. They were all happy to oblige.

"That's correct!" A wizened old man with a barrister's robe stood up from his table, nearly knocking over his large bowl of candied dates. "I remember you telling us that."

"If she danced with that boy, she probably had feelings for him." A middle-aged woman with a small dog on her lap began discussing her point of view with anyone willing to listen. "I know I had feelings for all the boys _I_ danced with."

"Then that means half the village!" A drunk man slammed his beer mug hard against his friend's and promptly keeled over. "Oh… you said dance…."

"The young lady probably doesn't want to admit her feelings." One of the monks winked at Naruto. Unlike many of the other patrons, he had caught onto the boys plan. "Least of all to herself."

"All she needs is a little help," the other monk said, hiding a grin behind a paper fan he unfolded. "A willing ear. An open heart. A patient and understanding smile."

"You're absolutely right!" Naruto called his hands together. "And she has a whole bar full of patient people, with open hearts and willing ears." That had most of the revelers calling out in agreement. A few rebels yelled out 'Sakura sucks' instead. "But… if a whole bar can help… why not a whole village…."

"Na-ru-to…." Sakura looked like a bull that had caught a glimpse of red.

"Leave this to me, Hinata-chan." Naruto struck a bold pose for Hinata's sake. She looked like she was ready to award him the price for the choicest ham in Konoha. "You stay here and help them keep Sakura company." He worked the familiar hand seals. The roof above their heads creaked under the weight of countless clones. One came in and asked for a beer, only to be quickly shooed back out again. "The boys will spread word." He paused, the zinger already on the tip of his tongue. "I'll find Lee." He gave her a secret little hand signal. She should stay out of the way. Things might get rather hectic.

_He flashed from view._

"**NA**… _**RU**_… **TOOOOO-OOOO-OOO-OO-O**…."

Sakura began running, swinging her purse like a bolo. Anyone foolish to wander into her path was knocked over like a nine-pin. The door she slammed behind her sat crooked on its hinges.

The sheer volume of Sakura's shout had Hinata twiddling her fingers. Should she run after them? It wouldn't be good to get in Naruto's way, or have him worrying about her when he should be worrying about himself. She doubted that Sakura really wanted hurt him. Just the same, Naruto had told her a story about the Frog Hermit.

There had been a number of times that the Legendary Sannin had been close to death. The most recent episode involved Pein, the leader of Akatsuki. Before that, the famous pervert had nearly died at Naruto's hand, when the younger ninja had taken on his four-tailed form. But there had been an earlier incident, one that involved Tsunade. She had nearly killed him with a furious blow.

"Little Miss… are you going to stay here?" That was the bartender. "Are you going to wait until he comes back? If you are, I can get you something from the grill." He pointed to a chalkboard listing the day's specials.

"I'm not sure…." Hinata felt antsy. She had that 'butterflies in the stomach' feeling. Should she be with Naruto? Maybe. Maybe not. Two's company and three's a crowd. When Sakura ran out of steam, he might be able to get her to spill her heart completely. No doubt she really did _need _someone to talk to.

"You might want to head out after them." One of the monks walked over to join in on the conversation. The other member of his sect joined him.

"Sir?" Hinata wondered what the man was getting at.

"We heard all that talk about things repeating themselves," the second man said. "It may not simply be a good ploy. There may well be some truth behind it." He had heard the story of Naruto and Hinata coming together from Naruto himself, when the boy had come back to Inari's that Winter night. "Someone runs out of the bar…."

"Someone chases after," the other monk picked up the train of thought. "Eventually, the one catches the other. Hidden emotions explode…." He nodded when Hinata's eyes went wide.

"You know what happened after that." A waitress stepped over and handed the religious gentlemen their orders. "But… I'm pretty sure… any romantic feelings he might have once had for the pink-haired girl must be gone by now."

"I…." Hinata swallowed hard. Some of her paranoid thoughts from the past resurfaces. She shook her head, trying to chase them away. "I don't have anything to worry about." She believed that. There was no way that Naruto could fool her or himself about his feelings. She sedately let go of the dearth grip she had on her pants fabric.

_She was proud of her faith in him._

"That girl left her coat behind." A young man with unbelievably thick glasses held up Sakura's jacket. He looked at Hinata and rubbed his nose, thinking back to that notorious Winter night. "A coat was part of the story last time, right? Weren't you the one who ran off without one last time?"

"Yes," Hinata said. "I suppose I _could_ return it to her." She took a deep breath and let it out. There was no logical reason to believe that events would unfold entirely the same way they did last time. Why did she keep challenging her own happiness? "But… that can wait… it's nice out…."

"You might have nothing to worry about," the waitress said, knowing what Hinata must be thinking. She bent over and picked up the mangled back of Sakura's stool. "The boy on the other hand…." She showed the wreckage to Hinata.

"Oh!" Hinata put her hand on her mouth. That was the first time that she saw the results of Sakura's earlier impulse. "Good bye everybody!" She headed out of the bar. Sure, Naruto might be alright by himself. But, it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Ain't youth grand…." A man at the bar held up a glass. Other patrons clinked their glasses against his.

_**FINIS**_


	10. Extra chapter: Lessons

**A/N:**

_The story really didn't need anything else, and may have been a few chapters too long in some people's eyes as it was. But, I have fun writing in this stoy's universe, and hope that a few people might have some fun reading more._

_The topic of drinking set the stage for the story in chapter 1, but that topic isn't really something to laugh at in its own right. The facts and numbers used in this chapter came from sources on Google. While some people may feel offended that Naruto is painted as someone who would have any risk whatsoever of drinking more than he should, they should recall that he had tied things on big time at the beginning. It was the only time he had ever binged that way. But, it made it easier for him to take up seemingly innocent social drinking here and there._

_Some might think that the other characters are viewing or treating Naruto in a mean manner. They are not. Everyone in Konoha sees our hero as a national treasure. They want the best for him, and are going about things in a crazy way that can only take place in a silly and over-exaggerated fan fiction story. If they didn't, there couldn't be a chapter 10._

**x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x **

"This is a bit much!"

Naruto was frowning up a storm. His face looked like it had been chiseled from a very unhappy boulder or stone.

The grumpy ninja and his best beau, Hinata, were surrounded by an entire ANBU squad, their masks well-polished and their posture perfect. What was up with that? This seemed more like the escort of a dangerous criminal to trial than a group of messengers sent out to find and bring in an upstanding citizen.

"I agree."

In the past, Hinata would have said nothing. She would have figured that the Hokage must know what she was doing, or that she herself had done something wrong, even if she had no memory of any transgression. Now, thanks to Naruto, she began to look beneath the surface of daily events, and had begun to stand up for herself more and more. As wonderful as her boyfriend might be, she had come to understand that she was someone worthy and special herself.

"She's waiting for you inside," a woman said behind a porcelain mask, one shaped to resemble a cat with three red stripes. Yugao Uzuki. She stood before a large oaken door. "She is not in the best of moods."

That simple commentary sent a chill running up and down Naruto's spine. It was never fun to deal with a testy or ticked-off Tsunade, no matter what kind of history they shared. She could be a veritable tsunami, a true force of nature. But, sometimes, the calm before the storm was even more frightening.

"Send them in," the Fifth Hokage said, very quietly. That had Hinata blinking rapidly and swallowing hard. She reached her hand over and grabbed Naruto's. "The rest of you see to your mission."

The ANBU squad members vanished, as if they had never been there in the first place. Shizune walked out of the Hokage's office, her eyes looking down at her feet. She never met the gaze of the two summoned shinobi. She wasn't the only comrade of Tsunade making an exit. Another individual made a far less dignified escape.

"**Bui bui ****_buiiiii-iiii-iii-ii-i."_**

Ton Ton took off like a stuck pig. She ran under Naruto's legs and climbed halfway up Hinata before dropping to the ground and darting past the startled girl.

"M-" Naruto coughed, pausing at the Hokage's doorway. "Maybe Ton Ton needs to use the little pig's room _really_ bad."

"R-R-R-" Hinata knew that Naruto was trying to convince himself that Tsunade couldn't be angry enough to send her favorite pig running for cover. Convince himself, and comfort her too. "Right."

"**WHILE WE'RE STILL YOUNG."**

It was a clear sign that Naruto's emotion growth had finally begun catching up with his physical changes, that he did not make a quip about the exact nature of the older woman's youth.

"Ma'am!" Hinata quickly stood in front of the Hokage's desk, which was as perilously piled with papers as usual.

"I'm here, too." Naruto couldn't help but act a bit childish and surly. He and Hinata had been eating a pleasant picnic lunch, at a small lake that had formed after Pain had destroyed the village. There was time for memorable moments now and then, following the finish of the most recent Shinobi Wars. "Shit!" That just slipped out when the Hokage put on the Tri-corner hat. That meant that things really _could_ be serious. He placed a hand over his mouth.

"I suppose the two of you are wondering why I called you here today?" Tsunade made a steeple with her hands. "There are two reasons, actually. The most critical issue is being looked after by the _Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai. _We'll get to that later." Her voice snapped like a wet towel whipped across a bare buttock. "An issue nearly as important brings you to my office."

There was a silent moment. The Hokage wanted the tension to rise a bit, since the topic at hand was indeed a serious one. Hinata stood ramrod stiff, tranquil and well reposed. Naruto follwed suit, but began to fidget now and then.

"I have had the two of you followed," Tsunade said.

"Us?" Hinata suddenly had a sweat drop. She had never done anything bad or immoral... but she _could_ very easily remember an all night make-out session. All night and a good bit into the next day.

"F-" Naruto pinched himself. It was Hinata's gig, starting off with a single letter or syllable, before finding the motivation to speak further. "Followed?" He had a dozen sweat drops. Even though he and his best girl were rarely apart, they did need their _me_-time. He occasionally made a trip to his favorite video-store. Some of the anime titles he returned home with were hentai.

"Indeed," the Hokage said. "You." She met Hinata's gaze. "Followed." She looked over at Naruto. She leaned back in her chair. _"Frequently."_

"If this is because I picked those flowers in the Botanical Gardens." Naruto's guilt had risen up like a tidal wave within. He had figurative water pouring out of figurative ears. "There wasn't anything in Ino's shop good enough for Hinata!" He was frozen with apprehension, but still felt warm when Hinata's cheeks pinked.

"I hadn't heard anything about _that._" Tsunade began scribbling in a notebook. The Gardens were sacrosanct, housing rare plants from across the globe, including some species that had come close to extinction thanks to the actions of Madara and Nagato.

"F-" Naruto bit his lip. It was good that he stopped that time. A four-letterword had climbed to the edge of his lips, ready to swan dive off.

"W-" Hinata's voice was quite, but not as timid as it once might have been. "Was-" Still, she fought to speak up in front of the Fifth. "Was it the Hyuuga artifacts that I sold?" She had taken a large number of items out of storage and sold them. There had been priceless treasures that hadn't seen the light of day for many a year, and had been painstakenly unearthed during the rebuilding of the village. A retainer had said that her father was OK with the idea, but she had never broached the subject directly to her sire Had the retainer been mistaken or lying?

"No," the Hokage replied, her eyes softening. "I heard about that. The proceeds all went towards rebuilding the Orphanage." She nodded her head. "Your father thought that it was a splendid idea."

"Me too!" Naruto looked at Hinata and smiled a huge smile. He then nonchalantly turned back to Tsunade and said "As a reward for her selfless acts, you should let us go with a warning." He couldn't think of anything bad they had done. He was simply being proactive.

"I intend to," Tsunade said. That had the two ninjas relaxing. "But it's going to be a rather _big_ warning." She brought a fist down hard on her desk. Piles of papers jumped a foot in the air, settling back down in tilted piles. A few sheets of parchment glided about the room like sugar gliders. "Or rather, a _lengthy_ one."

"If that's the case, may I use the restroom, Granny Tsunade." Naruto had forgotten to pee before his picnic. Before the picnic _and_ a gallon of punch. He was standing on one foot and then the other.

"A ninja must be patient." The Hokage grinned. "You wouldn't put teammates at risk during a mission, simply because you had to answer the call of nature, right?" She tapped a finger against her chin, watching as Naruto's foot stepping became a Konohan version of Riverdance. "Well. Because I don't want to have the floors cleaned again, I suppose I can be merciful. I might need to wait until I can find you a chaperone, so yout don't try to escape..."

"**GRANNY!"**

"Go ahead." The Fifth waved towards a water closet. "Next time, try thinking ahead. If you want to wear this hat some day-" She put the tri-corner headpiece on the messy desk. "-You can't be doing a bathroom jig everytime you address the village elders."

"_Thank you!"_ Naruto took off faster than the pig had.

"This gives us a few moments alone, Hinata." Tsunade ran a hand through her hair.

The two kunoichi spent a few moments talking together. The Hokage was interested in how the younger woman was doing, and if a relationship with the boy of her dreams was eveything that she had hoped it would be. She also felt compelled to make certain that the young scamp was treating the girl the way hat he should, even though she had no reason to doubt him and his big heart. She put away her smile as she raised one hand, ending the conversation. Naruto was back, looking rather relieved.

"I have returned," Naruto said cheerfully, his trepidations forgotten. "You're right. I never should have had so much to drink!"

"It's funny that you should say that," Tsunade spoke grimly again, all touches of warmth gone from her face and voice. "Drinking." The way she said that world set the stage expertly. Both Hinata and Naruto immediately knew what kind of drinking she referred to.

"Granny?" Naruto sounded perplexed. He figured correctly that the Hokage was making refence to alcohol. But, he didn't have a drinking habit and Hinata never touched the stuff, except on special anniversary dates.

"We can all remember how you and Hinata came together," the Hokage said. She had heard about the bar scene... had been told about the shack encounter by Hinata... and had been a personal witness to all sorts of subsequent shenanigans. That had been a while ago. "And I got an earful from your teammate." She looked pained. "On more than one occasion."

"Sai took up drinking?" Naruto's joke fell flat. "Sakura. I know. That was a while ago. She told me she never wanted to pick up a high-ball glass again!" He wondered how his friend was doing. He hadn't seen her for a long while.

"We'll talk about Sakura soon enough." The Hokage crossed her arms. "Right now, it's Uzumaki Naruto that I'm concerned about. Son of the Fourth Hokage. The boy who brought the Fifth Hokage to Konoha. A young man who hopes to be the Sixth Hokage." She sighed. "You are always in the public eye. That's the price that comes with notoriety. You are a role model to the masses." She put her hands in her laps and leaned forward slightly. "You're someone that people care about."

"But-" Naruto couldn't get a word out. Tsunade held up one finger in a nostalgic way. That gesture still had weight.

"Before Pain attacked the village, you used to spend a good deal of time at Inari's," the Hokage claimed. "Hinata, you were usually there at the pub whenever he was."

"Hinata didn't do much drinking!" Naruto put his hands on his hips, jaw set.

"But _you_ did, huh?" The Fifth had snared the village's noisiest ninja with seasoned ease.

"I-" Naruto frowned. "Every now and then." He adjusted his forehead protecter, loosening it a tad. "I didn't always get drunk..." He decided to offer proof of Hinata's innocence. "And... because I'm a hero now... the barkeep has imported a line of fruit drinks for Hinata."

"Good for the barkeep," Tsunade said. "And good for Hinata." She steepled her hands again. "You're going to say next that nowadays you go there mostly for the Pachinko, and for the new video game room."

"_Wellll-lll-ll-l._" That was exactly what Naruto was going to add, but the way that the Hokage said it made it sound like some kind of excuse or something. His eyebrows shot upward. He wondered just how far the Fifth's lecture might go. "Are you going to talk about the dangers of gambling?" The Panchinko could be played for fun, but could be used in gambling, too. "Or smoking?" He and Hinata didn't smoke. But, second-hand smoke was a big deal at Inari's, even though the establishment was larger, with a more open floor plan and much better ventilation.

"Those are worthwhile topics, _aren't _they?" Tsunade nodded her head. "Moderation in anything is important." Including lectures and lessons. "However-" She was interrupted.

"Video games!" Naruto had an addiction to the newer fighting-type consoles. "I hope you're not going to talk about banning _them!"_ His mouth was running far ahead of his mind. "You know... you know... they're not _all _bad..." He was rather animated now. "I even came up with the idea for my two new jutsus from those games..."

"Really?" Tsunade made a face. "You really need a life, don't you?" She looked over at Hinata. "Make sure he gets out more."

"Hai!" Hinata answered quickly. Was the Hokage joking or serious? No matter. She could get a lot of mileage out of that order. Not that Naruto would mind!

"And make sure that he does not play that game based on Jiraiya!" Tsunade's hand's gripped the arms of her chair. She had been told about that video game. "That game is for adults only!"

"Yes, Ma'am." Hinata nodded her head. She had no desire whatsoever to change her boyfriend in any way; but, did let him know here thoughts on things in routine fashion.

"Don't worry, Granny-" Naruto hooked a thumb under one arm. "I'm not into _that_ kind of game." He licked his lips. He had too much spunk for his own good. "But I _was_ sent the artwork to review. You should see the way that your character looks." He paused for effect. "Especially in _Boob-a-liscious_ mode. I've been told that it costs an extra two coins, but..."

**WWWWHHHHAAAA-AAA-AA-AMMMM**

Splinters flew. Papers darted about. A desk leg skittered across the floor. A drawer knob bounced out one window, striking a draft mule on the rump and sparking a series of accidents down on the main avenue.

The desk lay in ruins. Armed guards ran into the room, only to be crisply waved away. Shizune arrived breathless. "Lady Tsunade... was there a bomb..." She had left a number of packages on her mentor's desk. They had all been cleared by security.

"It's alright, Shizune." Tsunade stood up. She looked embarrassed. "I lost my temper." She searched for the Tri-corner hat, found it, and put it away some place safe. "But it might be for the best. A change of venues is in order. I've thought of a better place to hold my talk." She headed out the rear door and motioned for Naruto and Hinata to follow. They all walked in single-file fashion, like ducklings following a mother duck. After making their way along streets planted with young trees, they entered the Clinic. The Hokage steered the two younger ninjas into a ward that housed patients with various liver disorders.

"The liver is one of the largest and most complex organs in the body." The Hokage put on a white coat and took a moment to check a number of patient charts. "It stores vital energy and nutrients... it manufactures proteins and enzymes necessary for proper health... it helps protect the body from disease... and it breaks down or metabolizes harmful toxins from the body."

"Yes, Ma'am." Hinata had paid attention in Biology clase. She gave Naruto a quick elbow. He had begun yawning.

"Because the liver is the chief organ responsible for metabolizing alcohol, it is especially vulnerable to alcohol–related injury." She satred at Naruto, letting him know that his attention was not optional. "Even as few as three drinks at one time may have serious toxic effects on the liver if the drinker combines it with certain over–the–counter medications, such as those containing acetaminophen."

"Acetomo-" Naruto had heard that name before. But, he had never tried to say it for himself. "Ameceta-" He wouldn't be able to ask what the word meant if he couldn't wrap his tongue around it.

"Acetamenophen," Hinata rushed to say before her beau tripped over his tongue. "The pain reliever and fever reducer used in Tylenol and Konohex.

"Why didn't you just say aspirin," Naruto said sourly. He felt a headache coming on. He rubbed at both temple areas. "Or Ibuprofen."

"Aspirin is _acetylsalicylic acid,_" the Hokage said, irritated by the interruption. "Ibuprofen... _or iso-butyl-propanoic-phenolic acid_... is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Neither of them is acetaminophen." She smiled an evil smile and took out a perscription pad. "Tell you what. I'll let you choose which you want. You look like you could use some."

"Aspirin, then" Naruto said.

"Fine." Tsunade began writing in cursive. "I'll write you up for a suppository." She handed the script to an assistant. It read: this is just a joke. Play along.

The gangly red-haired orderly gasped a fake gasp. "From the veterinary clinic, Lady. Are you certain-"

"Now!" Tsunade said.

"Yes!" The orderly blurted out. "I'll fetch it immediately, Lady Tsunade." He took off at a run. He stopped, turned, and asked: "Will he need another painkiller after having things... uhhh... inserted?" He ran off when the Hokage said 'Shoo!'

"You're-" Naruto was about to say 'You're joking, right?' He kept quiet, figuring that he knew the answer. He _did_ squeeze his lower cheeks tightly together for a moment, just the same. "I apologize. I won't interrupt your lecture again. Please continue."

"Alcoholic liver disease... ALD... is a serious and potentially fatal consequence of drinking alcohol." The Hokage had walked her charges away from the patients. The last thing thay those ill men and women needed was a lecture. Some had walked too far down the wrong road. "ALD includes three conditions." She held up one finger. "Fatty liver." A second finger. "Alcoholic hepatitis." Finally a third digit. "And cirrhosis." She formed a fist, stuck out one finger, and shook that at Naruto. "Heavy drinking for as little as a few days can lead to fatty liver... _steatosis_...the earliest stage of alcoholic liver disease and the most common alcohol–induced liver disorder. Steatosis is marked by an excessive buildup of fat inside liver cells. _That _condition can be reversed, however, when drinking stops."

"That's good then. I-" Naruto was cut off. He made a face when he saw Hinata put a finger on her lips.

"Drinking heavily for longer periods may lead to a more severe, and potentially fatal condition, alcoholic hepatitis. Inflammation of the liver." Tsunade would give Naruto and Hinata a pamphlet later. "Scientists believe that if drinking continues, the inflammation we are talking about eventually leads to alcoholic cirrhosis in many individuals." Tsunade spoke in a stern voice. "Healthy liver cells are replaced by fibrosis, leaving the liver unable to perform its vital functions."

"But-" Naruto didn't like the sound of that. "You have medicines and scrolls that can fix it, right? Jutsus or surgery?" Her put a hand on his abdomen. He truthfully didn't drink that much, but he had begun worrying just the same.

"No," the Hokage said. "There is no fixing things. One look at Ibiki Morino's face ought to be lesson enough. There are somethings that can_not _be repaired. Up to seventy percent of all alcoholic hepatitis patients go on to develop cirrhosis. But, some patients with alcoholic hepatitis who stop drinking may have a complete recovery from liver disease." She pointed over at a chart on te wall that held medical statistics. "Here's something you probably didn't realize. Cirrhosis is a major cause of death in the Leaf and the other large villages. It's currently the fourth leading cause of death in people ages 45 to 54."

"My aunt died from cirrhosis," Hinata offered solenmly.

"She was a wonderful woman," Tsunade commiserated. She motioned to the chart again. "Women are at higher risk than men for developing cirrhosis. That higher risk may be the result of differences in the way alcohol is absorbed and broken down. When a woman drinks, the alcohol in her bloodstream reaches a higher level than a man's even if both are drinking the same amount. The chemicals involved in breaking down alcohol also differ between men and women. This means that a woman breaks down alcohol at a slower rate, exposing her liver to higher blood alcohol concentrations for longer periods of time, a situation that is potentially toxic to the liver."

"I'll make sure that Hinata doesn't have another drink!" Naruto struck a pose without knowing that he did.

"Naruto-kun." Hinata smiled. He truly did care about her.

"Very commendable," the Hokage said. "But, it's _her _choice. You should worry more about Uzumaki Naruto, right?"

"Why do you keep saying stuff like that?" Naruto puffed up like a beach body builder. "I'm not a kid any more! I don't drink that much or that often." Those words rang hollow in his ears. He had gotten caught up in the atmosphere at Inari's on more than one occassion. He was a suker for acceptance, even after the whole village had rushed to see him when he defeated the Six Paths of Pain. He loved to make people laugh, and he admittedly liked feeling like the Big Man On Campus from time to time.

"_Mmm-mm-m _ hmm-m." Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Maybe you don't. But, addicts are the ones who deny the quickest and the most often, aren't they? You must have witnessed that kind of thing from some of the patrons at the pub." She looked around the ward, grateful that there were no adolescents or young adult patients there today. "While you may not be a kid anymore... for someone like you... it's not just about long term effects that alcohol might have on your liver."

"Ma'am-" Hinata took a step closer to Naruto without knowing it. There was a warble of concern in her voice. "Is Naruto at special risk?" She slid a few steps closer. "Is it because of the Nine Tails? Alcohol doesn't weaken the seal, _does_ it?"

"That furry shithead probably gets drunk on blood," Naruto said without thinking. He apologized for his choice of words. Under his breath he added, "Or from licking his own balls." He felt a rumbling in his belly. Was that from something he ate? Or, had he pissed off the demon? Looking over at Hinata, he noticed that _she_ was looking a bit dyspeptic. Huh? Oh! His last remark. He kept forgetting how good her hearing was.

"I hate to sound like I'm preaching when I'm actually teaching," Tsunade said. "But, as the Hokage... and as a medical ninja... I have a responsibility to talk about this subject. I was making reference to Naruto's age, but not to him alone. Teenage drinking is an issue that far too many parents either don't take seriously enough, or bury their heads in the sand to avoid altogether."

Naruto paid attention. He and his friends drank socially at times. It certainly hadn't seemed wrong to them. Sometimes, a cold brew or two helped them relax after a particularly prickly mission. A small shot of something harder helped lighten the mood and loosen the tongue at card night. Alcohol had helped them feel like adults, in a life where they could easily die a child.

"Some people turn a deaf ear to numbers," the Hokage said. "They seem to think 'this is about some other people', not about themselves or the people they care for. Currently, alcohol use among young people under the age of 21 is the leading drug problem in the Leaf, the Sand, and the Cloud. More youths... civilians and shinobi... drink alcohol than smoke tobacco or marijuana. Every day, thousands of youths under 16 take their first drink of alcohol. Last year, the surveys showed that one out of six Konoha Academy students were drinkers."

Both Naruto and Hinata looked surprised. But, since neither of them had been a part of the 'in crowd', they had no personal experience to refer to.

"Binge drinking is on the rise, especially amongst girls." Tsunade looked at Hinata. "Have you ever tried one of the popular Alcopops? They probably serve those at the pub now, seeing that they are becoming very popular with young ladies."

"Alcopop?" Hinata cocked her head.

"Jiraiya's Hard Lemonade," Tsunade offered as an example. "Sand Monk Ice... Killer Bee Breezer... Ichi Ichi Hard Cola... Six Paths Original Vodka... and similar drinks with colorful names. They include malt drinks with fruit flavoring... wine drinks with fruit or flavorings... and beverages with with distilled alcohol and similar flavors. It's those flavors make them very attractive to underage drinkers."

"I've tried some," Naruto said. "They _do_ taste good. Real good." He had felt very pleased one night, when the crowd at the pub had bought him that kind of drink by the bucketload, after he had helped bring down Madara. He felt a bit silly now. In any case, he had lost any taste for that kind of beverage after getting too drunk much too quickly. Hinata had expressed her concern, too, in no uncertain terms.. That had struck him hard. "Maybe _too_ good."

"The earlier that teens and preteens get hooked-" Tsunade sighed. She felt so frustrated. There still were war injuries to deal with. There were diseases that had grown common and widespread after the times of strife. She and the other mediacl specialists didn't need more to deal with than that. "It's truly terrible, the number of youths who die from drowning, drunk. That, and other alcohol related deaths. Suicide. Homicide. Accidents. And... death isn't the only tragedy." She met Hinata's gaze. "In the known Nations, tens of thousands of girls suffer date rape or alcohol-related sexual assault every year." She made it a point to emphasize that number. "Tens... of... thousands..."

"That-" Naruto's eyes looked like those of a feral beast. His canines lengthened a bit, and he was soon sporting a single chakra tail. He wished he could beat down each and every guy who would do something like that. He wished he could kick the crap out of the guys who laughed about it, or talked up the miscreants. "It-" He would never treat a girl in a bad way, himself. He was pretty sure that ever guy friend he had would act and feel the same way.

"..." Hinata was visibibly disturbed. She was a kunoichi, and had seen her share of evil and greed. Just the same, it was a shock everytime she realized just how different some people were from others. "I'm so lucky I found Naruto."

"Yes you are," Tsunade said, smiling. Naruto was the hope of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, in many ways That was one of the reasons that she was going to make absolutely certain that he did not ever fall prey to the social demons lurking in his life. One demon in his life was more than enough. "It just took a while longer for_ him_ to find _you_. But... good things are worth the wait... right?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Hinata looked at Naruto and felt both happy and proud.

"You bet!" Naruto felt the same way.

"It looks like I went off on a bit of a tangent. There was something in particular that I wanted to mention when I made reference to Naruto's age," the Hokage said. "Recent studies have shown that heavy exposure to alcohol may interfere with adolescent brain development, causing loss of memory and other skills." She frowned. "Brain development continues until about age 21. Developmental damage is irreversible. Fortunately, that's not been shown to result from light or moderate drinking." She sighed. "But, there's no line in the sand that separates moderate from heavy. It's a different level for different people."

Mmm _hmm._" Hinata nodded her head, but was not about to say 'I told you so.' Early in her relationship with Naruto, she had begun slowly and gently talked him out of making Inari's a hangout for drinking. She didn't know his limit, and knew that he didn't know his limit. She would rather risk his wrath and lose him, than create some kind of co-dependency. She hadn't succeeded entirely yet, but her boyfriend was worth her every effort.

"I've talked with the other Kages," Tsunade mentioned. "Each has seen a decrease in skilled shinobi. Even the Bloodline gifts can be dulled down." Her voice grew icy. "Some of the other villages have put men and women to death, for showing up drunk on missions. I hope I never see the day, here." She stood silent for a moment. Now was the time to bring up the serious part of the meeting.

"Granny?" Naruto recognized that look. The Hokage was about to bring up her key point.

"This is partly about you, Naruto." Tsunade put her hands behind her back. "I want to nip things in the bud, should there be _any_ chance that you have taken a step on the wrong path." She looked at Hinata. "I know that drinking brought the two of you together, Hinata. But I would bet my last lottery winnings-" That said a lot, since winning and the Hokage did not go hand in hand. "-That you have a very good perspective on the matter, and that you have already begun your own efforts."

"Yes Ma'am!" Hinata stood straighter.

"Good," the Fifth said. "Because this is about more than Naruto. I want you both to do is be messengers. I want you to remember everything that I say today, so that you can turn around and tell it in a kind but firm manner to adults and children alike. I want you to give talks to the villagers, ninjas and workers alike."

"That-" Naruto liked being an ambassador. But, he felt his heart flutter a bit.

"You won't be traitors." Tsunade had correctly interpreted the look on Naruto's face. "The people at Inari's won't look down on you. It's not alcohol on trial here. It's about people treating it with the respect that it requires, and treating their fellow men and women responsibly. There is a price for everything." Having made her hard sell, she softened remarkably. It was easy to see that she had struck a chord in Naruto. It was even easier to see how much the two ninjas cared for one another. They had a remarkable support group in one another. There was no better choice for the important task at hand.

"Yes," Naruto said. He felt his unconscious worry dissipate. "Right!" A spark burned in his heart. There were many different ways to protect the people you love. He smiled, seeing the pride on Hinata's face. "We'll help in any way we can!"

""We'll do our best, Ma'am." Hinata said. "Naruto saved the village before. Now, the two of us will help the village save itself." She and Naruto listened patiently as the Hokage taught them the things that they needed to know.

"There's another matter we can discuss now." Tsunade tried to sound particularly grim. "It's the mission I sent the ANBU out on. It has to do with Sakura. As Hokage, I must follow the rules, no matter who is involved." Like everyone else, Naruto and Hinata knew how fond the Hokage was of her pink-haired pupil. "I received this." She let a scroll unroll in her hand. Naruto recognized his teammate's handwriting.

"Sakura wrote that?" Naruto pursed his lips. "What does it say?"

"She's informed me that she is leaving the village forever," the Fifth said. "She doesn't go into great detail, but does mention that she feels under too much pressure to stay in the land of her birth." She forced a sigh. "She wrote 'Please do not blame Lee'." She raised one eyebrow. '"She also wrote 'Feel free to punish Naruto'."

"..." Naruto stood stunned. He wasn't able to make a connection or offer a possible explanation.

"Maybe-" Hinata bit her lip like she had almost let the cat out of the bag. "Lee-"

"Hinata?" Tsunade wondered what Hinata might want to say. She really didn't have anyone shadowing her and Naruto, and was interested in gathering information, both in professional and personal matters.

"It... well..." Hinata looked torn. She didn't want to seem like she was squealing on her boyfriend.

"Don't worry, Hinata." Naruto met Tsunade's gaze. "I'll tell her." He sighed and put a hand behind his head. He was able to think clearly now. "Back on the day that Sakura got really sloshed last year, I teased her about setting her up with Rock Lee." He absentmindedly rubbed his rib cage. Most of the fractures had healed by now. "It helped get her out of the bar that day, for sure. But-"

"But?" Tsunade walked over to one clinic bed and took down a bag of antiobiotics that had finished running into one feverish patient.

"I kept teasing her about it." Naruto looked concerned. Had Sakura really run off? Was there something else going on that he didn't know about? Something with Sasuke, maybe? "No. Not really teasing. I made real efforts to set her up with Lee. I even got some of our friends involved, too." He smacked a fist into his palm angrily. "I made a real pest of myself. But... but I... I had a good reason!"

"O." Tsunade cocked her head.

"That night Sakura went on a binge the way that I did-" Naruto said. "Hinata told me something that Sakura had told her in confidence in the little girl's room. Sasuke had rejected her advances, and had essentially crossed her off of his list of future Missus Sasukes because he didn't want to risk having pink-haired sons." Naruto snarled. "That jerk! After all that Sakura and I had done for him. He could have been kinder than that!"

"And-" The Hokage hadn't heard about _that_ part of Sakura's big bender. She blinked rapidly, picturing a house full of pink haired boys with sharingans. She hid a smile, imaging Sasuke taking out Itachi's eyes and leaving the sockets empty.

"Sasuke told me something one day, when we sat down and spoke." Naruto looked torn again. This time, it was because he was still having difficulties reconciling his freind's personality and drive. Sasuke was no longer an avenger. Now, he viewed himself as the final remaining seed of the Uchiha clan. He was as obsessed with that idea as he had been caught up with the desire to kill his brother at one time. "He had talked to a geneticist, and found out that hair color... like the Blood Limit... was dominant in his family. Even more so. While every child of his wouldn't have a sharingan, there was no risk of pink-haired Uchihas, boys or girls."

"And let me guess-" Tsunade worked to change a dressing on a patient as she spoke. "He had decided that Sakura was the best choice for a baby mama." She put a clip on a fresh bandage and wrote a short remark on a medical chart. "She is strong. He knew that she had feelings for him and-"

"She was a medical ninja," Naruto said, his throat tightening up. "She would be an ideal mother, very much able to take care of her Uchiha children in every possible way." His voice went up an octave. He was trembling. "He also said that he would make certain to choose his concubines wisely, too. One woman wasn't enough... wasn't enough to..."

"To safely bring the Uchiha clan back from the brink of extinction," Hinata said, letting Naruto catch his breath and calm down. "I overheard the conversation, waiting for Naruto." Hinata blushed. She was not usually an eavesdropper. "Sasuke sounded like he was entitled. Life... like the Council... the whole Nation... maybe the whole world... _owed_ him something."

"I didn't want Sakura to learn about Sasuske's sea change." Naruto furrowed his brow. "I couldn't leave Sakura any time to think about Sasuke's change in heart if she _did _speak to him." Naruto frowned, sad. "It wasn't only about a change in heart. It was about someone breaking Saukra's heart. Again." His shoulders slumped. "At least she only broke my heart once." He brightened some. "And I ended up much better off!"

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata's cheeks dimpled.

"Well that's a bit of a relief," Tsunade said. "I thought you might have been blocking Sasuke's advances towards Sakura, so you could keep him to yourself."

"Huh?" Naruto went bug-eyed. **"HUH?"** He shook a fist at the Fifth as every patient in the room laughed, chuckled, or gave a cat call. "That's not funny. That's sick. _Real_ sick. Only a degenerate would think something like that. A real weirdo!"

"N-... Nar-... Naruto-kun..." Hinata slumped to the floor. "Y-... You don't love me any more..." She hung her head. "Y-... You-... You like _boys_ better..."

"Bui?" Ton Ton slid to a halt, a pilfered apple falling from her piggy jowls. _"Bui!" _She ran off to spread the news, mistaken. Fortunately, no human in the village could speak pork.

"Hinata... wait..." Naruto was slow to catch on, but catch on he did. "You... you made a joke like that... about _me._..."

"I-" Hinata looked shocked. Had her attempt at humor backfired big time?

"You-" Naruto bunched up his shoulders.

"It-" Hinata closed her eyes and rubbed her fingers together. She refused to believe that he might dump her for something like that.

"**You rock!" **Naruto walked over and gave his girlfriend a big hug, not caring who watched. He loved the way she was opening up, like a rare flower. And he couldn't be happier, seeing that she was willing to say and do things without worrying that she would tick him off.

"_Shhhh-hhh-hh-h!" _Shizune shushed Naruto, telling him that some of the patients were asleep, or were desperately trying to sleep. But, seeing the smile on some of the patient's faces, she couldn't keep up her scolding for long.

"Back to business," Tsunade said. "If Sakura crosses the border... with me holding a note like this one in my hands..." She looked a grim as death itself. "I will have no choice but to declare her a missing nin."

"But Granny!" Naruto felts as if he had stepped on a bare electical line. "She-"

"She knows all of our most important medical secrets," the Hokage said. "She knows a great deal of other sensitve information."

"But... you took Sasuke back in after all that he had done." Hinata spoke up. "And he had done-"

"We all know what he had done," Tsunade replied. "We also know what had been done _to_ him, and _who_ it had been done by. But, Uchiha Sasuke was a special case. Everyone knows _that,_ too. If I keep makng exceptions..." She didn't want to draw things out. "Seeing how critical the situation is, I am suggesting that you-"

**WHAM THUNK THUNK SKITTER SKITTER**

The door to isolation ward burst, and fell into small pices that bouinced this way and that. The heaviest oaken door remant was held up by the bent knob, in the hand of a distraught green clad man.

"**Lee!"** It was Guy. He looked stricken. "O _Leeeee-eeee-eee-ee-e._" He located the Hoakage, dropped the door, and hurried to her. "Tsunade... Lee is gone... he left me a note..."

"Calm down, Guy." Tsunade shook her head. "If you don't, I will sedate you I'll burn that green suit and keep you in a backless white hospital gown for a week!"

"What happened to Lee?" Naruto asked the prideful jounin. "Another note?"

"It doesn't say much," Guy said, sniffling. There were tears in his eyes. "He says that he had heard that Sakura was running away. He said that he was somehow responsible. He said that he couldn't let a girl run away by herself." He started tugging at his hair in dramatic fashion. "I looked for Lee and couldn't find him. Do you know where my rival Kakashi is? I need to find him. His dogs would be a big help." He sniffed again. When he was told that the Copy Ninja was away on a lenthy mission, he moaned like a ghost in a horrible horror flick. "Leeeee-eeee-eee-ee-e_._.. I don't want you to become a missing ninja!" He struck up Deeply Affected Guy pose and cried out:

"**O LEEEEEEE-EEEEEE-EEEEE-EEE-EEE-EE-E!"**

"Yow," someone said walking into the ward. "I thought that someone was getting a rectal exam with an IV pole or something." It was Kiba. Akamaru had come in with him until the Hokage gave Kiba and the dog a rather forceful gesture. No pets allowed. No furry non-pet companions, either. The dog rushed to wait outside.

"I thought that might have been an overly dramatic death call," someone else said. Shino. "Like the ones in bad movies and televison."

"I knew it was sensei," that was Neji. "I've hear that noise many times before. Hello, cousin." He bowed his head to Hinata, who gave him a smile and a curtsy. "Are you gathering shinobi with good scouting skills, Lady Tsuande." His question was answered without words. A number of chakra-censor type ninjas had arrived at the small gathering.

"Yes," the Fifth ansered. She spoke in more detail... assigned teams... and sent off everyone but Naruto and Hinata. "I will assign you two as the final team. With your knowledge of Sakura, you might be able to think of possible destinations. I will give you twenty-four hours to find her and convince her to come back. Lee, too." She dismissed the two startled shinobi.

Before heading for the Main Gate, Naruto and Hinata made a quick stop to grab weapons and provisions. Running, Naruto slid to a halt just before the two of them passed through the Great Gate. He smacked his forehead protector and grinned. He had an idea.

"We should stop by Inarai's!" Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and began pulling her after him at breakneck speed.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata dug in her heels, pulled free, and watched as Naruto stumbled and rolled about askew, like an orange and black tumbleweed. "This is no time for a drink. You told Tsuande and I that you don't drink much any more. You shouldn't drink under pressure!"

"I'm _not,_" Naruto said. "If only so I don't have to pee every few minutes while hopping along the tree tops." He brushed off dirt and street litter, picturing himself doing dynamic making Akamaru-style. "If you didn't know it, that was a joke." He sounded a little bit cross at being questioned. But, he wasn't truly miffed. It was nice that someone had his back. "I thought that a few rounds of Pachinko might brighten up our spirit. _That _would make searching a whole lot easier!"

Hinata just stood there, tapping one sandal on the cobblestone curb.

"Alright... alright..." Naruto tugged at one ear. "No more jokes. I just want to see if Sakura might have stopped in on another binge, or if Lee might have ducked in there looking for her. Any clue might prove important."

The two of them made their way into the pub. Neither hadn't been there for a few weeks, but the crowd acted as if they had been there every night for an eternity.

"**NARUTO!"** **"HINATA!" "HI GUYS!"**

"Hello everyone," Naruto waved cheerfully. People gathered around him and Hinata like moths to a flame.

"I thought that you two had forgotten about us!" The barkeeper stopped polishing glasses. After lifting part of the bar top up on a hinge, the beaming man hurried over to pound Naruto on the back. "You two have been coming less and less, since the re-opening week." Inari's had been destroyed with the rest of Konoha. It had been rebuilt bigger and better than before, and now was directly attached to a family restaurant. The Pachinko room and a largearcade were connected to the eatery, not the bar.

"We thought it was because you were busy becoming a dist- a distillerater... no... a-" An enebriated man accidentally poured his drink on everyones' shoes. His friend, even more toasted, was busy licking it all up.

"A manufacturer," a beverage server said. "The store owner bought the whole line." He whispered in Naruto's ear, looking a a bit unhappy. "But... well... they don't taste that great... sorry..."

"Why are you apologizing?" Naruto wrinkled his forehead. "_What_ line?"

"These-" The barkeeper headed back behind the bar, gathered an arm full of decorated bottles, and placed them on the bartop. "The LET IT FLY brand of alcoholic beverages. _Bad Boy Bourbon._" He pushed one bottle to the front. The label had a painting of a mischievous looking Naruto peeing on shrine and making a V-sign with his fingers.

"_Let'r Rip Rum._" The server held up another bottle. The label had a picture of Naruto letting one crack in Kiba's face. Seeing that, Hinata turned pink. She looked at Naruto. He hadn't sponsored a line of hard liquors,_ had _he? Was that what he had been doing on his me-time? She had always guessed that it was naughty anime and manga.

"This one reminds me of me," a tipsy baker claimed. That had everyone shouting him down, especially the two disgusted women he had been trying to pick up. _"Stiff Breeze Scotch._" The man handed the bottle to Hinata. "Suck on it as much as you want." He groaned when the one woman smacked him on the top of his balding head with a high-heeled shoe that she slipped off. The other gal kneed him just below his bulging belly.

"I-" Hinata looked down at the label. Her eyes rolled up. Having passed out, she fell like a human domino. Her plummetting body struck one boozing real estate agent, tipping him and his stool over. The man and his chair struck a drunken hairdresser, knocking her onto a belching plumber, who tipped over in turn. Soon enough, a dozen patrons were rolling around in peanut shells and bottle caps.

"Hinata... Hinata... are you OK?" Naruto had a sudden crazy thought. Had an enemy agent poisoned the outside of bottle? He covered his hand in a bar towel, picked up the _Stiff Breeze,_ and looked at the label. O. So _that _was the reason. The illustration showed a tall erect penis flying a flag with the Uzumaki family crest, looking as if fluttered in a strong wind. He got very pissed very quickly. "This is sick. Is it somebody's idea of a joke?" He looked around the establishment.

As it turned out, some rather realistic looking salespeople had pushed the drink line onto the shop owner, saying they had Naruto's approval. They had had official looking documents.

"Someone is going to pay," Naruto said. He watched as the origami woman helped Hinata to her feet and gave her a glass of _Fizzy Peach_ sparkling water. "When I'm done with my mission, I 'm going to tell Old Lady Tsunade what happened." Everyone cheered. Not for the future Hokage's civic nature, but for the tossing out of the sub-standard booze. Naruto strutted, thinking they were cheering him as their idol.

"Hoo-rah," a retired shinobi said. "We won't have to drink that shit any more." He, like the others, had been buying the fake brand to be patriotic. Naruto wondered how many watering spots might have been hit by the same or similar scams. Because he _did_ lend his support to good causes, it was all too easy to have shifty characters make ilicit use of his name.

"Or this one, either." A dwarfish street peddler stood on a barstool. He held a clear glass boddle shaped like a naked woman. The eyes were painted white. _"White Eyes and Smooth Thighs."_ He chuckled, leaned back, and took a swig of the Tequila. He hit the floor shortly after Hinata did. The glass woman looked a good deal like her.

When things were finally back under control, Naruto and Hinata started to explain why they had stopped by the pub. As they spoke, they noticed a large number of coins rolling across the floor. A ruddy-faced concert pianist was having a rather difficult time getting money into the spiffy new jukebox. Finally finished, he fingered five numbers on the keypad. Music began playing, loud. Naruto nearly had to shout to be heard.

_Grabbed hold of your coat tail but it come off in my hand,  
I reached for your lapel but it weren't sewn on so grand.  
Begged, promised anything if only you would stay,  
Well, I lost a lot of love over you. _

Naruto couldn't help but think back to the fateful night that he had been rejected by Sakura, and Hinata had wandered into the old Inari's and his life, like a glowing candle lighting up a darkened room.

_Fell down to my knees and I hung onto your pants,  
But you just kept on runnin' while they ripped off in my hands.  
Diamond rings, vaseline, you give me disease,  
Well, I lost a lot of love over you. _

Hinata thought back to that night, too. She had run from Naruto, feeling as if her world had shatterered around her like a cheap mirror. She was glad that Naruto had coming running after her.

_I boogied in the ballroom, I boogied in the dark;  
Tie you hands, tie you feet, throw you to the sharks.  
Make you sweat, make you scream, make you wish you'd never been,  
I lost a lot of love over you. _

"I bet you wondered why we chose _that _song," a toothless glockenspeil player said. He was best buds with the concert pianist.

"Because it's title _Turd On The Run_," the pianist said, listing heavily to one side. People shrank away from the man. His fingers may have been tickling the ivories on a regular basis, but they hadn't touched a white or black bar of soap for an unfortunate number of days. "You know... with Sakura on the run..." There were still some there who held a grudge.

"**SAKURA SUCKS!"**

The Konoha Rugby squad took years to get a new idea into their collective heads. They reacted the same way that had on the fateful night, whenever they heard the pink-haired medical ninja's name mentioned.

The next song kicked in while Naruto was dressing down the sports club and trying to find someone who might have seen or heard about Sakura.

_I bought a brand new airmobile  
It was custom made  
It was a Flight DeVille  
With an outboard motor  
And some hideaway wings  
Push in on the button and you can hear her sing  
Now you can't catch me  
No, baby, you can't catch me  
'Cause if you get too close  
__You know I'm gone like a cool breeze_

"WTF," Naruto said, stopping mid-sentence. What the hell was an airmobile? A Flight De Ville? A De Ville of any sort. "**Hey!"** He didn't appreciate the sense of humor. The song was titled _You Can't Catch M_e. He walked over to the barkeep. "Is there someway to shut that song off?" When he was informed there was no way short of turning the power off, he went and looked for a plug. He would reimburse the pianist. It was too dark to make anything out behind the music player.

_New Jersey Turnpike in the wee wee hours  
I was rolling slowly 'cause of drizzlin' showers  
Up come a flattop he was movin' up with me  
Then come sailin' goodbye  
In a little old suped up mini  
I put my foot in my tank and I begin to roll  
Moanin' sirens, was the state patrol  
So I get out my wings and then I blew my horn  
Bye-bye New Jersey I become airborne_

"Shit!" Naruto didn't have time for this. He needed to ask more people about Sakura and Lee. "_Kage Bunshin No Jutsu._" A half dozen clones appeared. "You guys take care of it!" He waved his hands in a prefunctory manner. That was not a wise move. They initiative that unorchestrated bunshin showed usually was very primitive, as if the only tool they had was a hammer and everything on earth was a nail.

_Now you can't catch me  
No, baby you can't catch me  
'Cause if you get too close  
You know I'm gone like a cool breeze._

**BANG. THUMP. WHAM. CONK-CONK-CONK. BOOOI-OOI-OING.**

Well, the rough handling didn't stop the sturdy jukebox. But, it did cause the mechanism to switch to a random song. The barkeep chased the clones out of the pub with a big straw broom. A majority of the patrons called out in disgust and anger, since the band playing was not the customary rock group that was cued-up during Naruto's and Hinata's visits.

_Put your gear into fire  
Lay your bullets on the ground  
Turn your head to desire  
There's a woman going down_

"G-" Hinata coughed after she shot some of her fizzy drink out through her nostrils. "Going down..." She should know better by bow. She shouldn't listen to anything that the coarser and earthier barflies said, and she definitely should pay little or no heed to hard rock song lyrics.

_She said she'll rack you up, all the way  
Then she gonna spit you out, count your days  
She says choice is yours, casually  
So why don't you do what comes naturally_

"Whoa!" An off-duty guard suddenly stood up and shouted. His cloudy mind cleared for a brief moment. He recognized the song. "This song reminds me of Sakura, too!"

"**SAKURA SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS!"**

_Sink the pink, it's all the fashion  
Drink the drink, it's old fashioned  
Gimme water, gimme wine  
Gonna show you, a good time  
Sink the pink, sink the pink_

"What does sink the pink mean?" A long-necked laundry ladyasked before taking a long sip from a fancy drink sporting a tall origami parasol. "Is it... is it..." She blushed, feeling as if she were living her life dangerously. "Is it something _d-i-r-t-y?"_

"It's about pool," a postman said, running a gnarled hand through his freshly permed hair. "The game, not the swimming place. Billiards." He shrugged, as if everyone should have figured things out for themselves. "You heard the song. Rack you up. Like racking up billiard balls."

"I don't think that's right," a loopy librarian remarked. "Balls one through eight are solid color balls. The one ball is yellow. The two ball is blue. The three ball is red. The four ball is purple. The five ball is orange. The six ball is green. The seven ball is burgundy-"

"I'll drink to that!" A sectagenrian souse popped the cork on a bottle of Vin de Bourgogne... burgundy. He began chugging, a bourgeoisie way to treat a fine wine! Spots of the Grand Cru vintage splattered the front of the his wrinkled white shirt and his knee-length gray beard..

"Hey! Hinata!" A young man wearing a heavy metal T-shirt took advantage of the break in the discussion to ask a purposely charged question. He had once confessed to her, after seeing her in the Pachinko room one night. Naturally, she had turned him down. "What color are _Naruto's_ balls?" He figured that would get the girl to collapse, and have him look like a cool and clever guy.

"I'd guess blue," a reformed thief offered. He was reformed only because of a prior encarceration, one that begun after he had been captured by Team Seven. While he had made a change in his life for the better, he still had an axe or two to grind.

A number of people chuckled or laughed. 'Blue Balls' is a semi-mythical slang term, referring to a condition that some urologists call epidymal hypertension. The condition is caused by prolonged sexual arousal that leads to testicular congestion, due to prolonged and unsatisfied excitement.

"Guy cramps!" One beer guzzling frat boy said.

"Hot nuts!" That came from his equally drunk roomie.

"Stone-ache!" That came from a randy old school marm. The look she gave the two young men had them paying their tab and running out into the night without their club colors.

"**AHEM!"**

The librarian had everyone's attention, including Hinata. She had stood strong, refusing to black out. She was blushing pinker than a petunia, and her knees were shaking a bit, but she was going to be okay.

"The eight ball is black, as everyone knows." The librarian continued. He hadn't stooped the nonsense to protect Hinata. He simply hated to be interrupted. "The nine ball has a yellow stripe. The ten ball has blue stripe. The eleven ball has a red stripe. The twelve ball has a purple stripe. The thirteen ball has a orange stripe. The fourteen ball has a green stripe. And the fifteen ball has a..." He walked over and moved the bugundy bottles out of the reach of the man who had interrupted him. "...Burgundy stripe. See, no pink. So-" He was interrupted again, this time by a dimunitive diva in high heels and a push-up bra.

"That's not entirey true, Mister Smarty Pants." She fluffed a fur boa draped around her neck. "Some pool ball sets come in pastel variations on the main theme. Including pink." She was a fan of all sorts of parlor games, playing matches in high society, and also visiting various dives and gin joints found in different nations.

"But!" A hammered horticulturist stood up on a wobbly table to voice his opinion. "Pink balls or not, if it's in a song like _that_, there must be another meaning to 'Sink the Pink'!" He promptly did an impromptu nose dive.

"That is correct." The speaker stood in the open entryway door. It was the temple monk, Bansai. "Sink the pink is about having sexual intercourse. You know... sinking something pink into someone... or sinking into something pink." He sighed, seeing the irony. Him. A monk. The guy knowing the most about sex. "To some people it has a more specific meaning. To have sex with a virgin-" The bald man in official robes walked over the the bar and gave the barkeep a hand signal for the drink he wanted. "-And to pop her cherry."

"P-... P-...P-...Pop..." Hinata tried her best, but it was too much for her. "Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-" She folded up like a cot and fell over backwards. Naruto caught her, cradling in his arms.

"Make it a double," the unconcerned monk said. "It's been a day of coincidences, and I_ hate_ coincidences."

"What coincidences?" The origami woman spoke after handing Naruto a phial of smelling salts.

"Well... for one thing... I walk in this place, and everyone is talking about sinking the pink." Bansai took a deep drink and let out a long satisfied sigh. "Earlier today, Sentoki and Zenza were busy speaking with an annoying pink-haired girl. Pink and pink. See." The bald-headed brother burped. He hated pink.

"Nani?" Naruto's ears twitched. He had been about to tell Bansai to speak properly around young women. But, he focused on the clue that he had been given. He grasped ahold of it the way a drowning man clutches a a tossed life preserver. **"NANI?"** Just how many pink-haired girls were there in the Leaf village? In the entire world. "Hey! Can you tell-" Naruto couldn't get a word in.

"If she wasn't bad enough," the monk added. "That guy in green _really_ freaked me out." Could that be a reference to Rock Lee? "Oooooo-oooo-ooo-oo-oh this and Aaaaaa-aaaa-aaa-aa-ah that! Geez Louize." His hand shivered as he brought a drink to his lips. "And those eyes. Big and perfectly round. I don't know if he even blinks!" He slammed the glass down. "That hair cut... I swear... his barber must use a bowl!" He tried to pick up the next drink, but it slipped from his fingers. He had a strange look on his face, as if he had caught a glimpse of the Other Side. "That suit... that hideous suit... that hideous green _s-t-r-e-t-c-h-y_ jumpsuit!" That had to be Lee, alright!

"There there," the origami woman patted the shivering monk on the back. She slid him a folded paper _ryama _in the shape of a llama. That figure symbolized 'endurance under difficult circumastances,' as well as 'responsibility' and 'hard work'.

"Here," the barkeep said kindly. "This one is on the house." He slid a bottle in front of the monk. A number of patrons walked over and handed the drink purveyor a stack of folded bills. The monk wouldn't have to pay for another drink that night. No one should have to deal with either a pink-haired girl or a guy with a green stretchy suit, much less both at the same time.

"He can drink _after _I talk with him," Naruto said, nudging people aside. "Hey, Mister Monk! You said theat the pink girl and green guy were with Sentoki. Does that mean that they were at the Fire Temple? Today? When you left?"

"Yes," Bansai said. "I walked from there. The two were still at the Temple when I left. But why-"

"**LET'S GO HINATA!"**

Naruto grabbed Hinata's wrist and the two of them went barreling out of the bar. They moved so quickly that they couldn't hear a single farewell. They left the village running at top speed, and made their way to one of the surrounding forests. They sped from tree bough to tree bough, feeling as if they had to make up for lost time. If there had been any onlookers, they would have barely made out two blurs.

"Are you sure you're OK," Naruto asked Hinata, the sound of rushing wind in his ears.

"Hai," Hinata replied.

"I think I'm going to need to get you a crash helmet or something," Naruto said, mostly in jest, referring to her baroom blackouts. "We don't want you scrambling your brains or something." He grinned and closed his eyes, but only for a moment. A moment was more than enough.

"**OOPHFFF!"**

Naruto smacked face first into a large tree. He left a smoking Naruto-shaped depression, falling backwards covered in splinters. Applying chakra to his sandal soles, he managed to keep from plummetting to his doom.

Hinata rushed to his aid. When she saw that he was no worse for wear, she quipped: Who's going to need a helmet, Naruto-kun?" She grinned when a pair of squirrels ran down the side of the tree, chittered their displeasure, and ran off, fluffy tails trailing behind them.

"Gomen," Naruto said, red-faced. Him and his big mouth! He checked that mouth, happy to see that he still had all of his teeth. He looked at the tree. A huge crack ran down the center of it. "Sorry!" That second apology was for the tree.

Hinata leaned over and kissed the top of Naruto's throbbing noggin. "There. That will make it better."

"..." Naruto grinned like a happy idiot. It was little things like that which often set his heart to soaring.

The two continued on their speedy sojourn, reaching the outskirts of the Fire Temple in record time. The shinobi monastery was still in the process of recovery, following the tragic visit of Hidan and Kakazu many months before. There was nearly a full compliment of ninja monks again, following that bloody purge.

"_Byakugan!"_ Hinata searched the Monastery and its grounds with her talent. If Sakura and Lee were still there, she would be able to recognize them by their unique chakra circulation patterns. "There!" Hinata turned and pointed. Her aim placed the target of her vision outside of the Sealed Iron Walls of the Fire Temple. "Sakura! Lee too!" She waited a moment and then nodded her head. "They're heading in that direction." She pointed again. "They must be following one of the main forest paths."

"Let's go then!" Naruto was just about to dash off.

"There's someone else," Hinata said. "Coming up from behind us. They must have seen us by now. We'll have to wait."

"Huh?" Naruto made a sour face. "I'm not waiting for _any_one. Sakura and Lee are out there. If we wait too long, they may pass one of the boundaries!"

"It's the Fire Daimyo," Hinata said. She stood at attention, even though there was no one there yet but herself and Naruto.

"Crap," Naruto said, shaking his head. He put a fake smile on his face and turned to watch the approach of a fancy palanquin carried by a dozen burly looking guardsmen. Even Kages bowed down before Daimyos. The village rulers had the ultimate power, and their orders were followed no matter what. It would be mighty bad mojo to get on one of _their_ shit lists. "I hope this doesn't take long. Maybe we can just bow and they'll keep moving past us." That was what usually happened. Most of the time, the palanquins were shuttered, and the dignitaries were busy eating fresh fruit and having their nails done.

"**STOP! STOP! STOP!"**

A high pitched voice called out orders. It sounded like a woman's voice, but belonged to a thin frumpish looking man in make-up and silken finery. "I heard what one of you men said. Uzumaki Naruto is standing on our road. What a wonderful coincidence-"

"Coincidence." Naruto muttered under his breath. "I hate coincidence, too."

"We wish to express our great and generous gratitude," the Daimyo said, going on to ramble about Naruto's role in protecting the Leaf from Nagato, and later Uchiha Madara. "Open the shutters. Open the shutters. The shutters the shutters the shutters. Now now nowwww-www-ww-w." He then asked one servant to see if they had packed the medals box, so that he could gift the young hero with a suitable and splendid award. He audibly pouted when he was told 'no.' Blowing his nose, he considred sending a runner back to their point of origin. When he finally turned to look at the pair of ninjas, he forgot all about medals and such. "O my gracious. That orange. That bright and blinding orange!" He reached over and rang a small bell. A servant covered his eyes with her perfumed hands. "Maybe I should outlaw that! Yes, outlaw it! Hmmm... _should _I outlaw that?" He asked that question to his advisor of the month. The Daimyo had been through more advisors than Baskin-Robbins had flavors, just that year alone.

"Perhaps we should do some research there, your greatness." The advisor knew that the Daimyo would soon forget this newest vexation.

"Yes... fine... that will do..." The Daimyo looked somewhat relieved. But, he kept his hands on top of the serving girl's hands. "Just like with that perplexing and perturbing pink. Did we outlaw pink hair? Why should anyone have pink hair?" He had run across Sakura and Lee the day before, and had then went on to cancel his trip to the Temple, when he found out that the palanquin had not been packed with shaved ice and liquid flavorings. They were in visual range of the edifice at the time, but that hadn't mattered.

"That is a very clever question, greatness." The advisor winked at Naruto and Hinata. "We're researching _that,_ too." He cringed, hoping the subject of green, grotesquerie, and gagging wouldn't resurface. The Daimyo had come perilously close to soiling himself at the sight of Rock Lee.

"Enough... enough... I'm not some child, you know." The Daimyo removed all hands from his face. He kept one up like a horse's blinder, so he coudn't view Naruto below the neck-line. He wanted to see who was with the boy. "O! Those eyes are splendid!" He was referring to Hinata's eyes, of course. "White! So pure and white! I think _I _should have white eyes, too!"

"You can ask the monks about that, greatness." The advisor signalled the guards to begin moving again. The Daimyo was talking happily to himself, the two travellers forgotten.

When the palanquin rounded a bend and they were out of line of sight, Hinata used her Byakugan again. She and Naruto headed off after the pair of runaway shinobi. In no time, she caught sight of their prey with her normal vision. Their own presence was noted a few heartbeats after that.

"**Sakura!"** That was Lee calling out. "We've been found."

"Who is it?" Sakura aked.

"It's Naruto... and Hinata..." Lee stopped in the middle of the packed dirt and took up a fighting stance.

"Finally-" Sakura's voice carried a touch of exasperation. That soon evaporated. "Finally you have a chance to fight for me, my lo..." She couldn't get the last word to leave her lips. "My hero." Bushes still wiggled where the kunoichi had jumped into concealment.

"_Uuuuu-uuuu-uuu-uu-uh! _I will not allow you to capture my Sakura!" Leaves and moss fragments began to swirl in a loose spiral around the green-clad ninja. "I am prepared to open five of the eight chakra Gates. You will not wish to face me when I do!"

"My-" Sakura's voice soon rang throughout the dale. **"MY?"** There was a slight pause. Her voice changed, sounding sweet and loving. "I mean... stop it... you're making me blush."

"Oi! Sakura-chan!" Naruto stood with his hands on his hips. "Why are you hiding? It's me, Naruto!"

"I _know _who it is!" Sakura sounded different again. This time there was a touch of fear or shame. But, it seemed forced. "That's why I'm hiding. I don't want you to see me like this!"

"What's wrong, Sakura?" Hinata used the Byakugan. In a quiet voice she said to Naruto. "One hundred yards straight ahead... four steps to the right... behind that large yew tree."

"Thank yew." Naruto quipped. "You know... like the tree..."

"Naruto-kun," Hinata said waggling her index finger. "This is no time for acting silly."

"You're right." Naruto took a deep breath. He worked familiar hand seals. "_Kage Bunshin No Jutsu._ Multi multi clones!"

Orange and blck clad clones covered the forest floor, like a crop of newly grown toadstools. They began running this way and that, forming concentric rings of bunshin. They closed in on the hidden Sakura.

"**NO! KEEP BACK! STAY AWAY!"**

Loud impacts echoed this way and that. The ground shook. Clones were struck out of existence at an alarming rate. "All of you just leave me alone!"

As Hinata rushed to keep Rock Lee at bay, the true Naruto switched into Kyuubi chakra mode. He literally flew to Sakura, a yellow flash. He caught her fist, and gently let it fall to her side. "Sakura-chan... what is this all about... you..." He stopped, catching sight of her body. He belly was bulging remarkably. "Is this what it's about?" He pointed at her swollen mid-section. "You've been away for months and..."

Sakura had been away from Konoha for a number of months. The Great Shinobi Wars had left many of the great Nations in bad shape. Lawlessness was well under control, but various illnesses and ailments had spread further and faster than crime and anarchy. Medical ninjas from numerous larger and smaller villages were making the rounds, sharing what healing secrets they could, and offering whatever assistance was necessary.

"...You've gotten fat!" Naruto punctuated his pointing with hand thrusts. "Really _really _fat!" He motioned to the rounded Sakura. "You make Choji look like he's on a diet!"

"**BAKA!" **

Naruto flew backward, crashing through a number of trees, his jaw distorted by his teammate's blow. Hinata rushed to catch him, as Lee sped to stand by the pink-haired girl's side.

"I... am... _not_... fat!" Sakura stomped her foot. "I'm pregnant!"

That word echoed in Naruto's and Hinata's ears.

Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant.

"Pregnant?" Naruto stumbled backwards, his jaw falling like a trapdoor. "Pregnant, as in _pregnant_ pregnant?" The gears in his mind had a difficult time connecting. ""Y-You..." He felt as if he had become a spirit, having floated free of his corporeal form. "P-P-Pregnant..." He looked over at Lee. "B-B-B-By..." The rush of noise in his ears could have come from an air raid siren. "H-H-H-H-Him..."

"..." Hinata brought her hand to her mouth. Should she stay silent? Should she offer condolences? Or, should she congratulate her friend? She was befuddled. Of all of the girls, Sakura should have been the best prepared. The clinic had every type of birth control known to modern science. She used the Byakugan one again. Her eyes narrowed. She wouldn't give things away, wanting to see how Sakura reacted.

"I... I didn't..." Sakura looked and Sounded crestfallen. "I didn't want you to see me like this. I don't want _anyone_ to see me. I'm so-" She put her face in her hands. Crocodile tears rained out between her fingers. "I's so very ashamed." When Lee rubbed her back, she elbowed him in the gut out of reflex. She made a small noise, and rushed to comfort him. "I'm sorry, Lee. It's not really your fault."

"Yes it is," Lee said, standing taller, striking a Nice Guy pose. Light pinged off of his teeth in Guy-fashion. "It was _I_ who violated your lush and innocent body!" Sweat drops formed at his temples. "It was _I _who shamefully planted my seed in your fertile garden!" He turned to look at Naruto and Hinata. "Sakura was drunk. She was very sad and very lonely. She offered me just one sip. I was a fool to accept it because-"

"Centipede brows!" Naruto stared at Lee incrediously. "You. That fighting style. Suiken. The Drunken Fist. A single drop of alcohol will make you lose control." He swallowed hard. "Lose control and become-"

"Unpredictable." Sakura said. "A furious fighting machine. An even wilder f-" Sakura made a strange choking noise. She couldn't finish with that rather risque follow-up.

"F?" Naruto rubbed his chin. "F!" He swung around to stare at Lee. "I-" He felt a shot of guilt. Had this all come about, because he had been harrasing Sakura about Lee? Was that what the saying meant? The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. "You. You are the last person I would expect to do something like that, drunk or not!" He folded his arms across his chest, a suspicious look in his eyes.

"I... you see... it... I... that is..." Lee looked like a millipede in reverse, stumbling all over himself. "I did not know who I was. I burned with the ferile and feverish flames of youth, my honor and friendship forgotten. I was the epitome of fornicating fury!" He tried to create a Bad Boy pose and failed miserably. His head hung. He couldn't force himself to take a leading role in something like this, even if he was just acting. "I couldn't help but succumb to Sakura's seduction."

"Sakura?" Naruto looked from Lee to Sakura. Was that any more believable?

"Seduction?" Sakura's eyes flashed.

"..." Lee looked like a deer frozen by an approaching headlights.

"_Seduction?"_ Sakura rolled up one sleeve and then the other. An oni would have a prettier face than she did at that instant.

"Ahhh-" Lee began backing away, quicker and quicker, until he backed himself up against a hulking evergreen.

"**SEDUCTION... YOU'RE PUTTING THE BLAME ON ****ME****... YOU'RE MAKING ME LOOK LIKE SOME KIND OF ****SLUT****?**

"Sw-... sweet-... sweetheart..." Lee found that he was to frightened to move. "P-... Pum-... Pumpkin..." He was never one to give into fear. But, this was the most deadly situation he had _ever_ found himself in. Fighting against Gaara and Kimimaro was sissy stuff by comparison.

"Sweet... heart... my... ass..." Sakura struck out with a single finger. When Lee ducked, she struck the tree. A loud peel of thunder rolled throughout the peacful valley. Three tree became sawdust in the blink of an eye. With the Inner Sakura screaming encouragement, she moved her eyes down at a quivering Lee, targeting him as if she were a Terminator. "Hasta la vista... baby..."

"Baby!" Hinata moved to restrain Sakura. "There... is... no... baby!" She hung on like a terrier as the other girl shook her well-muscled arm this way and that.

"That's it!" Sakura stomped her foot. Lee bounced a full two feet into the air. Naruto almost lost bladder control. Hinata let go when her friend's anger ebbed. "I will apologize to Tsunade later. I will accept her disappointment in me. But I can't put up with this charade any more."

"I am sorry," a crestfallen Lee said, his heart no longer in his throat and his testicles no longer hidng in his inguinal canal. "I... oooo-ooo-oo-oh... I am a failure..."

"You mean-" Naruto looked at a sulking Lee, and then over at a glowering Sakura. Hinata's announcement hadn't registered. "You mean that Lee is not the father." That somehow sounded more plausible, even though it still didn't sound like Sakura. "You got knocked up by some guy in another village?"

"**IDIOT!"**

Without looking, Saukra swung her arm like a gate. Naruto went tumbling ass over teacups. He bounced from tree to tree like a supercharged Pachinko ball. In fact, momentarily stunned, he slumped to the ground and made an odd little noise that almost sounded like ding... ding... ding...

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata ran to her boyfriend. When his eyes stopped spinning, and he told her that he was okay, she explained "Sakura is _not_ pregnant." She felt a bit sheepish. Maybe she should have told him right away that her Blood Limit ability had allowed her to see that the huge swelling under Sakura's clothing was not a part of her.

"Lee!" Sakura snapped her fingers. Lee hurried behind her. "The straps! Undo them!"

"Yes," Lee said, fingers trembling. He might actually touch Sakura if he slipped. Carefully, he lifted up the oversized maternity dress that the apple of his eye was wearing, and slipped a number of belt-like straps from their buckles. When the last one was open, a heavy leather contrivance hit the forest floor with a resounding thud.

"The damn thing is heavy!" Sakura picked up the bilky leather object and dangled it in front of Naruto, who had limped his way back. "The Empathy Belly," she said. "Some OB-GYN clinics keep these for fathers-to-be to wear, so they can see what it feels like to be pregnant." She flicked a hidden switch and the sack-like object began moving. "It can simulate fetal movements. And it places pressure on the wearer's bladder, so he has to pee more frequently."

"And it leads to waddling-" Lee had been told about the device by Sakura and the Shizune Sakura had returned to the Leaf a few weeks earlier, but kept out of sight at Tsunade's order.

"Waddling?" Sakura's eyes flashed.

"Low back aches... fatigue..." Lee nodded his head. Wanting to be a good pretend father, he had donned the contrivance one moonless evening, and ran numerous laps around the village. "And... of course... irritability..."

"Irritability..." Sakura rolled up her sleeves again. "Of course..." She swung theEmpathy Belly like a bolo. She let it fly. It flashed towards Lee's crotch area. Yes, she had been irritable quite often. But, she did not appreciate hearing that truth. Not one bit. And she had not been waddling or peeing more often on purpose. Saying that she was on edge would be an understatement.

"Lee. Look out. Don't let the baby hit the ground." That was Naruto. He watched as Lee switched into action without thinking. He had pushed just the right button to make his buddy save his own skin.

"_Ehhhhh-hhhh-hhh-hh-h!_" Lee did a flying kick and caught the Belly with one arm. He landed safely, no harm done.

"That's no way to treat your sweet little bundle of joy, Sakura-chan." Naruto grinned. "Just what kind of mother _are _you?"

"I think you owe Naruto and I an explanation," Hinata said. "Although I think I already know the answer." She had a very sharp mind. The word 'coincidence' had come up a number of times that day. She did not think any of this was coincidence.

"I'm sorry for being such a loser," Lee said sadly. "It is my fault that the deception failed. I will take responsibility for the explanation." He felt doubly shamed, faltering in front of the girl he had a monumental crush on.

"You don't have to do that," Sakura said with a sigh. "Don't think that I didn't realize just how difficult this would be for you." Sakura knew how Lee felt. She didn't like it mind you, but she understood. Lee had wanted to get on her good side, so he had volunteered to help in the Hokage's plan. "I guess I _do _get a little irritable some times..." She shrugged. She managed to smiled a little smile. "Dealing with you was a lot easier that putting up with _two _numbskulls at the same time." She paused before saying "I wonder how Sai's doing?"

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto didn't miss that little dig.

"So... Sakura..." Hinata spoke up. "The Hokage sent you on a mission. You were to be reinforcement of her lesson, right?" She had her answer, watching the other girl's eyes. But, Naruto would need to hear more. "The shock of seeing you pregnant was a way to make certain that her message stuck, even after the truth was told."

"True," Sakura admitted. "We all know the dangers of alcohol, right? People behave different under the influence. Men fight more. People drive more recklessly. They engage in more risky behavior." She stretched a bit. He back ached from her physical ordeal. "Some women get into sexual situations where they end up with more than they expected. You know-" She patted her slender belly. "An unwanted pregnancy. Or a sexually transmitted disease."

"The Hokage wanted to make certain that Naruto wouldn't end up having a drinking habit." Lee looked torn, saying that. He didn't believe that Naruto had any issues with alcohol. But, how could he take even the slightest chance? Friends were the true wealth of the Leaf! "But... there was more... she wanted to make certain that your lectures to the villagers would be a success. She had been looking for a way to turn your spark turn into a bonfire."

"I care about you," Sakura said. Her features softened remarkably. She might get angry at Naruto from time to time, but she was very fond of him. She regretted the way that she had treated him at the dance. Seeing how happy Hinata was these days, she had begun wondering what might have happened if she had given into her original feelings. "And... well... I had started drinking some, too. Tsunade helped me see that. She helped me stop."

"Sakura is very clever," Lee added. It was an honest feeling, not an attempt at kissing-up. "She came up with the plan. She convinced the Hokage that it was a good idea. She carried that weight for you." He also wanted to be certain that Naruto didn't see any of this the wrong way. This wasn't about doubt. This wasn't about pessimism. This was about love. This was about optimism.

"I see-" Naruto winked at Hinata, having turned his head so that only she could see. "You are both a credit to the Will of Fire!" He hung his head, and tried to sound sad and dejected. In actuality, he was feeling impish. He was never quick to see the bad side in people or their actions. Everyone knew that. How many times had he turned an enemy into a friend? "I understand... just like on a mission... there are times when you have to put your duty before friendship." It hadn't been Sakura and Lee alone. Other shinobi had been in on this little con job. Well, maybe not Guy. Because of the way that Konoha's Prideful Green Beast routinely acted, it was hard to tell when he was overacting or simply acting normally.

"How _could_ you," Hinata said. She wiped at an eye. There were no tears there. Well, there almost had been tears there when she had been touched by Sakura's an Lee's feelings for Naruto. They would do anything for him. "With all that Naruto has done for you. For the entire village." She turned away from Lee and Sakura. They thought that she had begun weeping. Rather, she was trying not to smile. Naruto was rubbing off on her. She felt a bit impish, too.

"Well, I'll be certain to tell Granny Tsunade that you two played your parts wonderfully." Naruto folded his arms across his chest and stuck out his jaw. "Of course, that won't be the only person we talk to. _Right,_ Hinata-chan?"

"Hai!" Hinata tossed her hair. Where was her boyfriend going to go with this.

"I bet this was partly personal, too." Naruto snorted. "Sakura and Lee were probably jealous of the two of us." He had baited the hook. Now it was time to see if he could get his two friends to bite. "Everything has its price, does it not?"

"Right!" Hinata gave Naruto a V-sign. She knew what he was up to. It would be fun to play along, as long as they didn't overdo things.

"Cost?" Lee was totally at a loss. He was far too innocent a soul to think of any kind of scheme or subplot.

"Wait!" Sakura's eyes narrowed. She bit her lip and tensed her shoulders. She knew Naruto all too well. "You don't mean-" He might just decide that she and Lee had overstepped their bounds. But, he was never truly a resentful person, right. She knew him better than anyone except Hinata, didn't she?

"We need to give lectures that capture the heart of our audience," Naruto said, nodding his head. "We need to use true life examples. Examples that will make certain that the message sticks!"

"Sakura and Lee, knocking boots." Hinata felt light-headed, saying that. Her tongue felt thick, as if it were a boot tongue. "Who would have thought it?"

"Knocking boots?" Lee looked down at his feet, and then at Sakura's. They were wearing sandals.

"Bonking," Naruto said. He gave Hinata a look that said 'Be strong.' He wasn't going to be obscene. "Doing the humpty dance. _Pen_... _e_..._tration._..." He scowled. Lee stilled looked clueless. What was worse, the influence that Jiraiya once had on him, of the one that Guy had on Lee? No young man should be _that_ naïve! **"Nookie."**

"Naruto-" Sakura was growing angry. She also couldn't help but feel a tad embarrassed.

"Huh?" Lee looked over at Sakura. "Do you know what he's talking about?" He watched in awe as redness spread slowly up from her toes, cresting at the nape of her neck like she was a human alcohol thermometer.

"Sex," Hinata said. Short. Sweet. And to the point. Lee froze.

"Hinata!" Naruto struck a sprinter's pose. "Let's go!" They had a brief advantage now.

"Sure!" Hinata and Naruto took off like twin cannonballs fired from the same cannon.

"**LEE! EARTH TO ROCK LEE!"**

Sakura never wanted to take advantage of Lee's feelings for her. That would be wrong. She wasn't that kind of girl, and Lee was too nice of a guy. But, this was a special situation. And, both of their reputations were at stake. Trapped by the suddeness of the situation, she wasn't thinking clearly.

"Sakura-chan?" Lee regained his senses.

"Lee. They're trying to hurt me." Sakura sniffled. She held both hands together, just below her neck. "You hate that, right?" Lee was the only person on earth who might get fooled by this act.

"Huh?" The question caught Lee by surprise, but his reaction was spontaneous. "Right." His eyebrows formed a shaggy 'V' on his forehead.

"They're going to tell stories about me. I will never be able to date a boy. I will be a laughing stock." Sakura hung her head and then fell to her knees. "You won't let them do that, _will_ you?"

"_No!"_ Lee glowed with a strange aura. He began pawing at the ground like a green bull.

"Then stop them!" Sakura lay flat with a heart-wrenching moan. "We have to convince Naruto to forgive and forget." She sprang back up and began running, the moment that Lee took off as if he were launched by a steam catapult.

"**OOOOOOO-OOOOOO-OOOOO-OOOO-OOO-OO-OH!"**

All four shinobi were speeding through the peaceful country side, passing through forest, glen, and dale at a miraculous pace.

"That'll teach'em." One league into their run, Naruto signalled Hinata and slowed down a touch. Neither he nor Hinata truly meant to follow up on their threats. It was just a giant burn in the making. They knew that the other two ninjas were acting out of true friendship, as well as following orders. Just the same, they wanted the others to remember something very important: "Pay back is a bitch!" He thought about stopping now. He had gotten the two all riled up. But, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. He truly appreciated the trick that they had played on him. He understood that they had wanted to put emphasis on an important lesson. He was simply doing the same.

"Ummm-" Hinata had looked over her shoulder. "We're not out of the woods yet, so to speak."

"Huh?" Naruto looked, too. "Holy shit!" He felt his hair go on end. Lee was closing ground rapidly, moving with an odd stiff-armed and stiff legged running style. "You don't think he would-" Their friend must be opening his chakra gates. How else could he be moving like a runaway locamotive?"

"We can't let him hurt himself, Naruto-kun." Hinata prepared to come to a complete stop. No joke was worth letting a friend get hurt.

"I'll stop him," Naruto said. "Watch and learn." He took a deep breath and shouted loud enough for anyone within a a half-mile to hear him. "Look out, Hinata! Lee is acting psycho again. He must have taken a drink and gotten sex-crazed again!" Of course, that had been a fiction on Lee's part. That didn't matter. All he needed to do was say what he said next. "He's probably trying to steal your panties!"

"**Gah!" **Lee went completely stiff, He hit the ground at high speed and plowed up an ever increasing pile of dirt in front of him. He snapped out of his fugue, stood up, and shook a fist at the rapidly retreating forms. "That is a lie! I would never do that! I am a true champion of justice!"

"Let's go champ," Sakura grabbed Lee's arm in passing, almost pulling it clear from its socket. "Buckle up!" She reached back and threw him with inhuman strength. He became a projectile, closing in on his two friends. "Stop them. We have to talk some sense into Naruto." She felt a bit foolish after saying that. She had allowed him to get her all worked up. She was becoming more certain by the moment that her teammate was teasing.

"I won't let you hurt Sakura!" Lee's lips were flapping, like those of astronauts and pilots being tested at high g-force. "If I do not stop you, I will run a thousand laps around the village on my hands! _Ahhhhh-hhhh-hhh-hh-h!"_

"Lee!" Naruto admired his buddy's fighting spirit and sense of right and wrong. But, he was not about to lose. "Don't be such a chauvenist! Girls can fight for themselves, right? No, they _should_ fight for themselves!" He grinned. He hoped that Lee wouldn't hurt himself too much. "Sakura should say something like, 'If I don't stop them, I will give Lee a thousand lap dances'." He added a definition of that sexy specialty, to be on the safe side.

"**Gurk!"** Lee's arms and legs shot out straight and stiff rom his body. They moved so quickly, that his clothing stretched flat like webbing, instead of clinging tightly to his limbs. He looked like a freakish flying squirrel. _"Eeeee-eeee-eee-ee-e-"_ He had absolutely no control, soaring like a pilotless fighter plane.

Naruto couldn't bear to watch. He heard a loud splash. Lee had flown out over a lake and then lost the ability to fly. He held a hand up and came to a stop. Hinata followed suit. They would check on Lee if they had to. However, there was someone more suited to that task.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's shout had him teammate zeroing-in on him. She arrived shortly thereafter. "Lee just fell into the big lake. He might need your help." While he and his fellow ninjas might seem indestructible at times, it never made sense to make assumptions.

"Like I'm going to fall for _that_ one," a furious Sakura said.

"It's true," Hinata claimed. "If you don't go, then _I _will. There may be no time to waste."

"I wasn't going to spread any rumors anyway," Naruto said. Just as his is teammate was about to hurry on her way, he chuckled. "I should probably serenade her." He began singing loudly, sounding more like a toad croaking. He grinned, picturing Sakura sinking in the water, recovering Lee.

_Sink the pink, it's all the fashion  
Drink the drink, it's old fashioned  
Gimme water, gimme wine  
Gonna show you, a good time  
Sink the pink, sink the pink_

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata gave her boyfriend a rather painful pinch. "Behave!"

"Yes, dear."


End file.
